Do Not Read, Bad Copy, Deleting soon
by Crystal Snowflakes
Summary: *Chapter 7 up!* Right after the meteor with all members of the Turks and AVALANCHE. Do tell me if the rating is a bit too high or low. R for Reno and Cid's lauguage. ahem* Enjoy and Review!
1. The Returning

Reunited Friendship Chapter One  
  
The Returning  
  
By Crystal Bubble  
  
Jenova had been beaten and all the members of AVALANCHE was very tired. Yes, they had been happy to have beaten Jenova, but their friend, the last remaining Cetra had paid with her life for this victory.  
  
As the Highwind neared Kalm, Cloud felt sick in the stomach, Reeve had gotten Elmyra and Marlene out of Midgar just in time before the meteor struck. No one had told Elmyra that Aeris had died, Cloud would have the be the one that told her the sad news. He had also wondered what had happened to all the innocent Shinra workers, and what about The Turks?  
  
"We have arrived at Kalm and the damn time right now is 1:38. Thank you for riding in my god damn ship and have a fucking nice day!" Cid suddenly announced over the speakers.  
  
Tifa couldn't help smiling at Cid, "Oh Cid! Do stop the swearing when you see Marlene!"  
  
"Ya! You try talkin' like that in front of Marlene and I'll get your damned ass kicked!" Barret joked as he looked out.  
  
"Guys, let's go, Marlene, Reeve and Elmyra's waiting outside. I see them!" Tifa said excited, looking down at the town, waving at them.  
  
Cloud climbed out first, without saying much. Everyone had noticed that he hasn't said much after Jenova's defeat, maybe because of Aeris' death. Her death had hit him the hardest. After all, he was the first in the group to meet her, except possibly Reeve. Shera went next. Cid had picked her up for the celebration party at Kalm after the battle. Barret then rushed down the ship and gave Marlene a big bear hug.  
  
When Cloud had seen Elmyra, he walked over and everyone suddenly went quiet.  
  
"Ms. Gainsborough...I'm...sorry..." Cloud lowered his head in shame.  
  
Elmyra wiped a tear away, nodding understandingly. "She knew she was going to die, didn't she? She knew what she was doing though...It's no one's fault and you should not be blamed."  
  
"I don't know if she knew or not...but...you knew?" Cloud looked at Elmyra.  
  
"No...not until now. But the way you walked towards me and how Aeris didn't rush down. Cloud, it isn't your fault. Let's go over to my house for the celebration." Elmyra gave Cloud a small smile. "Oh right! I got a house in Kalm" Elmyra exclaimed.  
  
"Oh yea Reeve, thanks man, for saving my daughter." Barret said.  
  
"No problem." Reeve sighed, "Time to get Cait Sith charged up."  
  
Everyone walked over the Elmyra's house with Marlene and Barret in the lead.  
  
"Aeris.you told me not to blame Cloud before you died. I didn't... You knew you were going to die...didn't you? You were always so mysterious...but...you could've told me." Elmyra thought to herself quietly walking in the rear of the group while just noticing that her eyes were moist once again.  
  
*****  
  
"Cloud, are you okay?" Tifa looked at him, with concern. "You haven't talked since you fought Sephiroth."  
  
"It's nothing...really. I'm just thinking." Cloud replied changing his position on the couch.  
  
Yuffie walks up to Cloud, "Our fearless leader has finally spoken. You know, Tifa's right. Join in the fun." Yuffie smiled.  
  
"Yea, if you don't come join in the fun, we'll all sit quietly with you doing nothing." Tifa said.  
  
Cloud looked at both of them at the same time. "Oh all right...After all, we do deserve a break." He smiled and walked over to Barret, Cid and Reeve playing a game of cards.  
  
"Where's that vampire anyways?" Cid asked.  
  
"For the last hundredth time, I am not a vampire" replied a voice coming from the corner of the room.  
  
"Well Vinny, tell me, what sleeps in a coffin for thirty years and does not die?"  
  
Vincent said indifferently, "That doesn't automatically make me a vampire, does it? And never call me Vinny." Vincent's eyes bright red that made them all freaked out, they had to turn away. They would never be used to his blood red eyes.  
  
"Hah! I win!" Barret yelled as he held up his hands to show that he didn't have anymore cards.  
  
"What the fuck, Barret? Why weren't you waiting for me?!" Cid swore.  
  
"Well...see...you were arguing with Vincent, so we left you alone." Reeve explained.  
  
"Why you three little asses! You god damn left me argu-" Suddenly, a scream was heard outside the house. Cloud withdrew his sword and ran outside.  
  
As they all reached outside, they saw four guys attacking a girl. The girl made him have a feeling, a strangely familiar feeling, just like when Aeris was here. Cloud put his sword away and punched a guy on the nose, Tifa punched another one in the stomach. All of a sudden, he heard a familiar voice say, "Finish those two off." Elena and Rude knocked them both out with the end of their guns.  
  
Cloud looked in front of them and said, "Reno"  
  
"Hey losers." Replied Reno as he smirked.  
  
"Thank you..." The girl looked at AVALANCHE then at The Turks. She caught Reno's eye and Reno looked back. "Oh my god, that guys with the flaming red hair is so cute." She blushed as she thought to herself and thank that it was dark so nobody could've seen her face turn crimson.  
  
"You're welcome." Cloud and Reno both said, both glaring at each other now.  
  
"I'll be going now..." The girl walked back slowly.  
  
"Are you sure? You can come to Ms.Gainsborough's house.I'm sure she wouldn't mind." Tifa said, concerned about the girl that didn't look a lot younger than her. She looked a bit older than Yuffie.  
  
"...I don't want to start a fight between you guys..." She said quietly, looking at Reno and Cloud.  
  
"Of course you won't start a fight between us. Right Reno? We're good buds." Cloud replied, wanting to puke at the last comment he said, but he wanted her to stay so badly. He felt something familiar about her. Too bad I can't see her too well in the dark.  
  
"Yes, don't worry about us. We're good buddies." Reno was disgusted at what he had said. The girl thanked them both. All the AVALANCHE members and the other two Turks were shocked, but they didn't need a second to know what was going on.  
  
Tifa and the others started back to Elmyra's house and Cloud bringing up the rear and whispering to Reno, "I was just saying that to get the girl to say."  
  
"Duh...who'd be dumb enough to be buds with you?" Reno shot back.  
  
"Come now then..."  
  
"Huh? We're invited to that Ancient's adoptive mother's house too?"  
  
"First of all, Aeris has a name. Second of all, I don't want her getting suspicious. Hurry up and get your ass in the house."  
  
"What's your name?" Shera asked politely at the girl.  
  
"My name's Akira." Akira replied shyly.  
  
"I'm Cloud, she's Tifa, Barret, Red or Nanaki, Yuffie, Cid, Vincent, Reeve, Shera, Elmyra, Reno, Elena, Rude and that stuffed toy is Cait Sith, controlled by Reeve."  
  
"Nice to meet you, Akira." Red replied.  
  
"It talks!" Akira with her eyes opened wide, "What are you?"  
  
"I am what you see." Red replied.  
  
"So Akira, what were you doing by yourself out at night?" Elmyra asked.  
  
"Well, you see...I'm on a quest..."  
  
"What sort of quest?" Tifa asked, asking everyone's question.  
  
"A quest to find the clear materia and Holy..." she replied quietly.  
  
"WHAT?!" Everyone yelled in unison.  
  
"Holy...the white materia."  
  
"For what?" Cloud asked.  
  
"To resurrect my mother."  
  
"The white materia can resurrect human beings?" Elena asked curiously. "Then maybe I can resurrect Tseng."  
  
"No, no...my mother wasn't human...she was half Cetra..." Akira explained.  
  
"Then that must mean you're half Cetra too...and that must mean...your mother's Aeris...? I'm assuming." Cloud had finally known what had been so familiar about her, the hair colour of Aeris...only a bit of a different shade...Her smile was a different...It's like she's had a rough life or something...but her eyes, her eyes...green, the kind of green which were infused with Mako. And they didn't seem to glow or shine like Aeris'. But the shape of her face was certainly different. She didn't look too much like her.but a bit of similarity.  
  
"How...did you know that?" asked Akira, she was dumbfounded.  
  
"She was with us...before she died." Cloud winced at the memory going over and over in his mind. "But, if Aeris' your mother, she must've gotten you when she was about a few years old. How...?"  
  
"I was born from inside of a tube...Hojo created me with Jenova cells and Cetra cells from Aeris, Hojo also infused me with little amount of Mako...but I have no idea who my real father is."  
  
"We know where Holy is. But why do you need to resurrect Aeris?" Reeve asked.  
  
"I have gotten a warning from the planet, something dangerous is going on and I need Aeris."  
  
"Holy is where Aeris died, we can bring you there, but the clear materia, that we have no clue." Cloud replied.  
  
"We can probably get the information of where the clear materia is from the library in Nibelheim, but do you know another name for the clear materia? We might also be able to figure out who's Akira's father with Hojo's notes." Reno said thoughtfully.  
  
"Yes, it is known as Eternal."  
  
"Cid, mind flying us to Nibelheim?" Cloud asked.  
  
"No problem. Let's have a good rest tonight, then we'll start early tomorrow morning. No objections?" Cid looked around. "All right, night all." Cid headed out the door for the inn.  
  
"Ms.Gainsborough, do you mind if Akina, Marlene, Shera, Tifa, Yuffie and Red stay here tonight? The others will go to the inn with me." Cloud asked.  
  
"Not at all, I can fit another person." Elmyra replied.  
  
"It's okay, we'll stay at the inn. Good night everyone." Cloud waved as he followed the others out the door. Before he closed the door, he heard Akina say something. "Good night Cloud and Reno, see you guys tomorrow."  
  
"Reno, I take it you're staying with us?" Cloud questioned.  
  
"No, what makes you think that?"  
  
"Never mind then, I just thought Akina had wanted you to come."  
  
"We might show up tomorrow." Reno and The Turks then walked towards the inn.  
  
"Damn Cloud! You lettin' those three assholes come with us?" Barret yelled.  
  
"But I have to agree, the more help we have, we can resurrect Aeris faster, and you heard what Akina said..." Cloud replied.  
  
"Anyways, I think I can fit about another one in my house, so two will have to be in the inn." Reeve told them.  
  
"All right, Barret and I can stay at the inn, Vincent, you can go to Reeve's house, you don't mind?"  
  
"No, good night." Vincent replied and started towards Reeve's house. 


	2. New Trust, New Love

Reunited Friendship Chapter Two  
  
New Trust, New Love  
  
By Crystal Bubble  
  
"Rise and shine!" Akira knocked on the door. "Cloud and the other are all awake, except Barret and Cid. Common Reno! Even Elena and Rude's awake!"  
  
Reno opened the door with just his pants on, "Yea, yea...come in for a sec...almost done dressing up."  
  
Akira sat on his bed, "He's a rather messy person. Just look at his room!" she thought to herself as she looked at the messy covers on the floor. She picked it up and continued admiring him when he put his suit on.  
  
"By the way, just what time IS it? It feels so early." Reno asked.  
  
"Oh, it's seven o'clock, the other just woke up, I wanted someone to take a walk with me, you wouldn't mind, would you?" Akira asked nicely.  
  
"I usually wake up at ten, and you get me up at seven just to have a walk! And now you tell me the others are not ready yet?" Reno looked at her weirdly, "But no, I don't mind. Let's go."  
  
As they got out the inn, they walked around and sat on a bench in the town. "So, how old are you really?" Reno asked curiously.  
  
"Well...my mother or should I say, Hojo created me when Aeris was three. So that makes me nineteen."  
  
"I don't get it, how is it that you are only three years older than Yuffie, yet you are way more mature than her. She acts like a twelve year old sometimes, I swear." Reno grinned as she smiled when she heard the compliment about Yuffie.  
  
"You know, I really don't know. Last night, I heard Aeris was always more mature than anyone. Perhaps it's because people with Cetra blood tend to be more mature? I really have no idea. But isn't immature nice? Childhood is a very precious thing. I have never had one, which is why I think it's so precious." Akira asked.  
  
"I've never had a nice childhood. I wish I could just forget my childhood. By the way, I'd rather you be mature and not be like Yuffie, because if we have two Yuffies in our group, I would rather jump off a building."  
  
"Tell me about your childhood..."  
  
All Reno did was put a fake grin on his face and looked at her, and she saw something, something deep in his eyes. Anger.  
  
Akira didn't persuade any longer ".By the way Reno, I have to apologize."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"...I'm sorry for making you go with Cloud...I know you guys aren't good friends...I just...I wanted you to come with me, and part of me says I have to go with Cloud...So...I had to get you in the group...I'm so sorry." Akira looked into Reno's eyes apologetically. "Oh god...his eyes are so nice. I could just stare at them all day."  
  
"It's all right...really." Reno looked back at her eyes, and they both closed their eyes and their lips met and kissed with passion. Neither of them wanted the moment to end. Reno held her head and after a few seconds, they finally broke away. Both of them were breathless. Then they heard a call.  
  
"Reno! Akira! Tifa told me to get you to come and have breakfast!" Elena yelled from the front of Elmyra's house, good thing she hadn't seen them kissing.  
  
"We'd...better get going." Reno said. Akira nodded and followed behind him.  
  
*****  
  
"Where'd you guys go?" Cloud asked when they came back to Elmyra's house.  
  
"Umm...I just got Reno to go on a morning walk with me." Akira replied, her breakfast laid untouched in front of her. She was still thinking back when Reno and her had kissed.  
  
"Reno taking a morning stroll, that's a change for him." Elena snorted. Barret agreed.  
  
"Anyways, Cid will be flying one group to Cosmo Canyon and the other group to Nibelheim. Any problems?" Cloud asked. No one spoke up. "That's weird, if it were the old Reno, he'd probably start arguing, what's gotten into him?" He looked over to Reno and saw his eyes wandering into space and his breakfast untouched. Cloud shrugged it off "First group for Nibelheim will be lead by me, has Tifa, Barret, Yuffie, Elena and Rude. I hope you don't mind me of splitting up The Turks. Second group will be going to Cosmo Canyon lead by Red, Cid, Vincent, Reeve, Reno and Akira. Any questions...?" all was quiet, "guess not, Move out!"  
  
"Huh? What team am I on?" Reno and Akira both asked at the same time.  
  
"You're on my team to Cosmo Canyon, both of you. And Reno, Elena and Rude are on the other team, hope you don't mind." Red replied with suspicious.  
  
"No, of course not..." Reno replied without paying much attention and went on the Highwind. "Shit, I feel funny... What the hell is wrong with me today?"  
  
As they all got on the Highwind, Rude came up to Reno and asked, "Dude, what's wrong with you? First, you take the first morning stroll in your life, then you aren't acting like yourself. You don't even react or object when Cloud orders you around, you don't give a damn if The Turks are not together. What the hell is wrong with you?!" Rude shook him violently.  
  
"Nothing! God! I don't even know what the hell is wrong with me! I think..." Reno shook his head as the thought came into his head, "I'm falling in love." Reno smirked at the thought. "Never in my life have I been in love, I've kissed so many damned girls, but I never have felt like this before..." Reno came back into reality, "Never mind, Rude."  
  
"You think what? And what the hell you smirking at?" Rude demanded.  
  
"Nothing, I just need sometime to think. By the way, never in my life have I heard you speak that much at once." Reno walked away to the deck and left Rude confused. "She's only nineteen, and I'm twenty-two. Damn, three years, it isn't that much...is it?"  
  
*****  
  
Akira sighed, "It's so pretty here." As she stood on the deck of Highwind, the wind blew softly on her face and her hair flew everywhere. She closed her eyes.  
  
Elena nodded quietly, "Tifa..." she started.  
  
"Yes?" Tifa asked, patiently.  
  
"I'm...sorry...about...the accident in Sector 7...I've always wanted to apologize and be friends. Well...not always, but ever since Tseng died...and ever since we found out what Shinra wanted to do. Now that Shinra's dead...And even I wasn't a Turk when The Turks blew the Sector up...And..." Elena talked on and on.  
  
Tifa looked down at the grass below and closed her eyes, "Sorry Biggs, Jessie, Wedge, but it's time I forgive them. Sorry..." Tifa whispered quietly so no one heard. "I forgive you, but I'm not too sorry for bombing all those other reactors...It WAS to save the world after all. But I do agree we killed quite a few..."  
  
"It's all right...I guess...But I do hope you forgive Reno and Rude too."  
  
"I'm sure Tifa has forgiven Reno and Rude, they were just doing their job." Akira said, her eyes still closed. "But I don't know about Cloud and Barret..."  
  
"Common Elena, I'll tell Cloud what you said, then Barret, how about that?" Tifa smiled warmly at her.  
  
"All right...Akira, you coming?" Elena asked.  
  
"No...I want to stay here for a while."  
  
"Okay..." Tifa replied, she lead the way and they saw Reno. "Hi Reno." Tifa and Elena both said, and walked to see Cloud.  
  
*****  
  
"Hi Reno."  
  
"Reno's here?" Akira thought, she stopped listening to the soft wind and opened her eyes. "Hi Reno!" She turned around from the lovely scene and said cheerfully.  
  
"Hi Akira..." Akira's dress was swaying lightly in the breeze and with her face, she looked quite lovely. "Damn, she's so pretty..." He admired her. He suddenly realized that he was staring at her. He walked slowly beside Akira and looked up at the clear blue sky.  
  
"Reno...I'm sorry about what I did in Kalm..." she whispered quietly and looked as his face. Suddenly, she saw Reno's heartbroken face but it was gone in less then a second. "Huh? Weren't Turks good at hiding emotions...? That's what I heard from Tifa and Yuffie..." she thought curiously  
  
"I guess she doesn't like me..." he thought depressingly. "Oh well, I can always get to love another girl...Right?" but he knew he was just lying to himself. "Don't worry about it.for a second there...I just thought...maybe..." he said quietly with emotions, he was done hiding them for now...  
  
"...but Reno...I-"  
  
"I know you don't like me...never mind what I just said."  
  
"I do! I thought you just kissed me for fun!"  
  
"...really?" Reno asked.  
  
"Yes..." Akira grinned, "and I thought Turks were good at keeping emotions in themselves."  
  
"We are...but I just thought...maybe, just maybe I can show emotions to my first love..." Reno smirked, all emotions hidden again. "Actually.maybe second love."  
  
"Reno, can you promise me one thing?"  
  
"Depends what..."  
  
"Whenever there's only you and me...can you......not hide your emotions.?" Akira asked.  
  
"I'll see..." And they closed their eyes once again like before and kissed. "Oh my god...I just can't believe this, it's like a dream...Tell me it's not a dream though, because if this is a dream, this dream is waaaaaaay too real, and I don't want it to end..." Reno thought.  
  
They broke apart after a few minutes, "We should be heading back now." Akira smiled.  
  
Reno winked at her, "Of course." They started walking back in the airship.  
  
*****  
  
After telling the exact same thing as she had told Tifa, Elena waited patiently for an answer from Cloud and Barret. A second later, Cloud nodded to Barret. Elena sighed a breathe of relief and started to say, "Reno still has a bad mouth that won't shut though..."  
  
"We'll have to get used to his talking...but he hasn't said much this morning..." Cloud said thoughtfully.  
  
Barret nodded, "But Reno's so full of himself. He's so full of shit." Elena just grinned.  
  
Red said "He has been unusually quiet...and so has Akira..."  
  
Suddenly, Reno and Akira walked in, smiling at each other with sparkling eyes as if they knew a secret others did not. Reno felt others staring at them and he nudged Akira lightly and cleared his throat, "Hey losers."  
  
"Maybe he just wasn't in the mood this morning..." Barret grumbled. Cloud nodded.  
  
"We've arrived at fucking Nibelheim. Next destination is Cosmo Canyon. The current time is 10:47, have a damned good day and good bye." Cid shouted over the speakers.  
  
"Cid, announce on the speakers to get everyone to get in the meeting room!" and added "And DO try to keep your colourful language out of that announcement." Cloud shouted at Cid and started out the door. 


	3. The Journal

Reunited Friendship Chapter Three  
  
The Journal  
  
By Crystal Bubble  
  
Cid stopped the Highwind in front of Nibelheim and went in the meeting room.  
  
"Group one will go to the Shinra Mansion's basement and try to see where the clear materia is located. Group two will go to Cosmo Canyon and look for a way to resurrect Aeris. Once again, group one contains Tifa, Barret, Yuffie, Elena, Rude and I. Group two contains Red, Cid, Vincent, Reeve, Reno and Akira. Any questions?" Cloud asked.  
  
"What the hell?! How come The Turks are not together?" Reno exclaimed.  
  
"You didn't say it was a problem this morning." Rude and Reeve said together.  
  
"Well, there's definitely a problem! I'm not with the Tu-" Reno stopped as Akira nudged him lightly and Reno shut up instantly.  
  
Tifa looked at Reno and Akira suspiciously and said, "All right then, come on Cloud, let's go." They walked out with Elena and Rude at the rear. Elena waved to Reno quietly and walked out.  
  
Reno sighed and asked. "Cid, when's this thing going to land at Cosmo Canyon?"  
  
"We're going to arrive at Cosmo Canyon at 11:15 approximately. About twenty-five minutes from now." Cid answered, lighting up another cigarette.  
  
Red said politely, "You know Cid, smoking isn't very good for you or your health OR second hand smokers, so maybe you should consider cutting back on it a bit."  
  
"Oh shut the fuck up! I've heard that too many fucking times, everyone tells me that! I swear, if anyone tells me once more, I'm going to fucking burst!"  
  
*****  
  
  
  
"Oh my fucking god! It's still 11:05! Ten minutes left! Why the hell is this airship so damned slow?" Reno sound very pissed off.  
  
"Reno, have more patience." Reeve said.  
  
"But this is taking so damned long! Can't this go any faster?" Reno asked, furious.  
  
"Reno, come out on the deck for a second. I need to talk to you." Akira said, knowing that all the others were annoying and pissed off by his whining and complaining.  
  
*****  
  
"Hmm...what is it you were going to say?" Reno asked.  
  
"Nothing...You do know that you're annoying the others, do you?" Akira asked, once again her eyes focusing on the puffy white clouds in the sky.  
  
"Yea, of course. I did it on purpose." Reno grinned.  
  
Akira smiled back, "not a very good idea. If you piss them off too badly, they might kick your ass."  
  
"Ah well, I've always gotten my ass kicked by AVALANCHE. Pretty used to it. Anyways, I've been wondering, where have you been these nineteen years after Hojo created you?"  
  
"I didn't think anyone would ask me that question...I didn't expect anyone to ask me...I've been stuck in the tube for nineteen years, until recently, when the Meteor was released, Hojo's helper had noticed how Hojo was going nuts. He freed me and told me to help destroy the Meteor. He told me everything about AVALANCHE, Jenova and Sephiroth. Also Shinra. He also told me who my mother was, but he had no idea who my father was because it was confidential. Actually, both of them we're confidential, but he guessed it was Aeris since I looked so much like her." She took a few seconds of rest.  
  
"So then, I went on a search to find Cloud and the others. Just then, when I got to Fort Condor from Midgar, I saw Holy and the Lifestream released and I knew Aeris had done her job. When I was crossing Kalm to go to Fort Condor earlier, I heard that Barret's daughter, Marlene and Aeris' adoptive mother, Elmyra were in Kalm, so I started to Kalm right away, then I saw four alcoholics and they kept on annoying me. But then Cloud, Tifa and you saved me. Anyways, with Hojo's helper's information about my own life, I have a little doubt in it. Didn't seem like he wanted to lie to me. But it's just my own feeling. It feels like this isn't the first time I've been in Kalm. And I was pretty familiar with Midgar especially Sector 2...It feels like I've lived there." She ended.  
  
"So you don't know how to fight?" Reno asked, surprised. "Then how are you going to come with us and resurrect Aeris?"  
  
"No, no, no...I know how to fight..." Akira explained, "Just didn't want to hurt those four drunken guys."  
  
"Hope you won't feel bad when we kill those monsters that wants to kill us." Reno mumbled. "What weapon do you use?"  
  
"Anything's fine... I tried guns. Easiest to handle. I already have one." Akira took out her Outsider. "I've also tried fists, but didn't work too well for me. And staffs are good too."  
  
Reno looked downward. "Don't let looks fool you, eh? You didn't look like you could've handled a gun." Then looked back at Akira.  
  
Akira smiled and looked down. "Looks like we've arrived at Cosmo Canyon." Then Reno's hand turned Akira's face towards himself. Akira had a sudden look of surprise when Reno brushed her curls away and kissed her on her forehead.  
  
*****  
  
"Arriving at Cosmo Canyon!" Cid shouted, this time not on the speakers.  
  
"No need to shout, old man. We can all see we've reached Nibelheim." Reno said, waiting for the Highwind to land. "Damn Reno, I've had enough of you. Let me kick your fucking ass and get you to sh-" Cid looked VERY angry.  
  
"That's enough, you two." Red stepped in between Reno and Cid, but they didn't pay any attention to the red beast.  
  
"Let's see you try and kick my ass!" Reno shouted, grinning.  
  
"Cid! Reno! That's enough. Cut it out!" Akira shouted.  
  
"I can kick your skinny ass any day!" Cid yelled back at Reno.  
  
"Shut up! All of you!" Reeve pushed Cid back while Akira pulled Reno back.  
  
"Oh yeah? We'll don't miss, or I'll surely be laughing at you for the rest of my damned li-" Reno still grinning, he knew he was pissing him off really badly.  
  
"Be quiet." Vincent's voice was calm, but intense. Everyone fell silent. "Now kids, let's get to Cosmo Canyon."  
  
*****  
  
"Holy shit, this wasn't any better than the last time we came in here." Cloud said as he sliced another bat in half. They were in the tunnel leading to the library of the Shinra Mansion.  
  
"Yea, I wonder how Red's doin' with the others." Barret shot a bat in the head and making blood fly everywhere with a sickening sound.  
  
Elena winced, disgusted, "They probably just arrived, and they're probably getting Reno annoyed the heck outta them."  
  
"Especially with Cid in the group." Tifa added.  
  
Yuffie grinned as she finished off the last bat, "Reno and Cid certainly shouldn't be in the same group with each other. But it certainly would be interesting to watch."  
  
"Perhaps Reno would not argue as much with Cid when Akira's there." Rude said calmly.  
  
"And just what do you mean by that?" Cloud asked suspiciously. Rude just shrugged.  
  
"Let's just get moving, these bats are creepy!" Yuffie exclaimed.  
  
"Common, let's go." Cloud said, following Yuffie.  
  
*****  
  
"Welcome back, Nanaki!" the guy at the gates said.  
  
"Hello! Where's my grandfather?" Red asked.  
  
"Up in the observatory room." Red nodded and he lead the others to his grandfather's room.  
  
"Umm.Red? I'm going to phone Elmyra to see if everything is okay." Cid said, backing from the room.  
  
"I'll go with Cid." Reeve said, walking in the direction of the door with a relived look on his face. He passed Reno and whispered to him, "Reno, if you don't want to bored yourself to death, leave the room." And continued out the door.  
  
"Red, I'll be outside, need some fresh air." Vincent said as he walked out.  
  
"Umm.I need to go to the washroom." Reno looked at Akira sympathetically. Akira smiled at him as if saying, "don't worry about me, I'm quite interested in what he has to say." Reno went out the door.  
  
"Are my teachings really that boring?" Red asked Akira.  
  
"I don't know about that, I've never heard any of it, but I'm sure they just aren't interested in it." Akira bent down and hugged Red.  
  
Red shifted uncomfortably and said, "Stop doing that, I don't like it."  
  
Akira released him. Red may say he doesn't like it, but deep down, she knows he likes being hugged and scratched. "Let's go." Red nodded.  
  
*****  
  
"Maybe we should've gotten Red and Akira in this group. At least they wouldn't mind reading all these damned crappy journals." Barret muttered.  
  
"Don't forget Barret, they're doing as much reading as we are in Cosmo Canyon." Cloud said, taking another book from the shelf.  
  
"Maybe we should phone them and see what they're up to." Tifa suggested, taking the PHS out of her pocket.  
  
"I'll phone Reno." Elena said, taking the PHS from Tifa's hand and dialling Reno's phone number.  
  
"Hello Reno? Uh huh... Yeah, we're searching over here. Yeah.Okay.All right then, see you later then, Reno!"  
  
"What'd that jerk say?" Yuffie asked.  
  
"He said Cid and Reeve are phoning Shera and Elmyra, Vincent went the take some fresh air and he's going to the washroom." Elena replied.  
  
"Oh god, poor Red." Tifa said with a fake sympathy face.  
  
Cloud smiled, "Where's Akira and Red then?"  
  
"At Red's grandfather's observatory. They're both waiting for the others till they can start."  
  
"I suggest we keep looking." Cloud said.  
  
"There's no need to." Rude replied, turning away from the bookshelf with a brown dusty book in his right hand. "Take a look at this."  
  
*****  
  
February 9  
  
Jenova's body has been found! I have waited for this day for a long time. We will be putting Jenova cells in the now useless humans in SOLDIER. But soon, they will become strong, the strongest in the world! Oh yes, we found, beside the body of Jenova, a small clear rock. It is believed to be materia, yet, I do not see what's the use of it.  
  
-Hojo  
  
*****  
  
February 27  
  
A few SOLDIERS have been infused with Jenova cells. They have all been successful. I've also tried infusing Mako in SOLDIERS. But that hasn't gone as well. We haven't yet found out what the right amount of Mako is for the human body. I've also tried infusing a woman with Mako, but she died immediately. She lasted even shorter than men. We still do not have any information about the so-called clear materia.  
  
-Hojo  
  
*****  
  
March 5  
  
I've got an good idea of what is going on now. Mako will not work on women nor babies, but what about a baby that's still not born yet? I will also infuse Jenova cells in the baby. I, have the perfect plan.  
  
-Hojo  
  
*****  
  
"The perfect plan he's talking about in this entry must be Sephiroth and Lucrecia." Yuffie said quietly.  
  
"Let's just keep on reading..." Tifa said.  
  
*****  
  
March 14  
  
I've found the perfect woman. She's my helper and she seems easy to believe anyone. She's so naïve. Her name's Lucrecia. I'm going to marry her and our baby boy is going to be infused with Mako and Jenova cells before he is born. He is to be the strongest man on earth! Named.  
  
-Hojo  
  
*****  
  
March 29  
  
Sephiroth. His name is to be Sephiroth. I've been thinking for a boy's name for days now. Sephiroth seems like a good name. I've been buying roses for this woman called Lucrecia. My plan is coming along fine. Jenova's body is going to be delivered to Nibelheim. As for the materia we found, I'll be sending it to Midgar's safe since it is no use to us. But it might good use one day. It is said to be a Cetra's. What it does, I do not know, but in the safe it goes.  
  
-Hojo  
  
*****  
  
"It's in the Midgar safe..." Tifa said, wincing at the thought of going back to Midgar. That place is crawled with Mako enhanced creatures.  
  
"Guess so. Let's go see Red and we'll regroup again. Rude, bring the book." Cloud took out his PHS and called Cid to pick them up as he walked out the door. And suddenly heard Yuffie call them.  
  
"Wait, wait, wait! Guys, look at the next entry!"  
  
*****  
  
April 24  
  
Haven't written here in almost a whole month. The plans with Lucrecia and Sephiroth is going perfect. On second thought, I have taken the clear materia called Eternal into Junon's safe. It'll be safer there with all the SOLDIERS.  
  
-Hojo  
  
*****  
  
Cid put his PHS back in his pocket, "The other's found out where the clear materia is. They coming here and regrouping. I'll be back in approximately 50 minutes.  
  
Red nodded, "Let's keep searching here while he picks up the others."  
  
"This is awfully boring if you don't mind me saying..." Reno said picking up another book.  
  
"...Well...yeah..." Reeve had to admit, it was boring. But that was what they had to do.  
  
*****  
  
As the other group finished reading up to April 24, Akira shook her head softly. "Poor Sephiroth..."  
  
Cloud looked enraged at the comment, "poor Sephiroth?! He burnt my hometown and killed my parents!"  
  
"I didn't mea-" Akira was cut off by Cloud's shouting.  
  
"You didn't mean what? To say that?" Cloud looked maddened and put his face near Akira's. Akira looked frightened for a moment.  
  
In less than a second, Reno stood right in between Cloud and Akira, "Shut up you fucking bastard. She was just saying what she had to. If you don't like to listen to it, then stick your little fucking fingers in your fucking ears and shut the fuck up before I kick your lil fucking ass." Reno pushed Cloud away from Akira. Hard.  
  
"I'm sorry Akira...I didn't know what came over me." Cloud apologized.  
  
Akira shook her head, "don't worry about it." Everyone looked hard at Reno. They've never seen him so protective around anyone, not even the other Turks. "Sephiroth...the same Sephiroth I know? Maybe not though...he wasn't that dangerous the last time I met him...He was rather...nice. They couldn't be the same person. The Sephiroth I know treated me like a little sister. But..."  
  
"What? What are you guys looking at? Am I too handsome for you?" Reno asked, slowly putting on a big grin on his face. The others made a disgusted face.  
  
Tifa looked back at Cloud. "We should choose the people to go to Junon tomorrow."  
  
Cloud nodded, "Red, I hope you don't mind staying and reading more?"  
  
"Not at all, just get three other people to stay, the other eight can go to Junon. Four will be enough to get some decent information." Red replied  
  
"Sooooo...Akira stay...you don't mind looking at books." Cloud said.  
  
Akira shook her head once again, "I'm the only know who can feel where the clear materia is, unless you want to stay in Junon the whole day..."  
  
"Umm...okay then, Tifa, Reeve and Yuffie. Everyone all right with that?" Cloud asked. Tifa, Reeve and Yuffie all groaned at the same time, but they knew this wasn't the time to object. "Okay, sleep tight tonight and we'll start tomorrow morning when the sun shines."  
  
"What if it rains tomorrow?" Reno asked with a smirk.  
  
"Shut up, Reno." Everyone said. Akira just smiled. 


	4. Dreams

Reunited Friendship Chapter Four  
  
Dreams  
  
By Crystal Bubble  
  
"Akira...I will bring more than myself when you and the others resurrect me. But don't be afraid, because they are my friends. I would explain everything to you, but I really don't have time right now. Maybe later." Akira knew herself was dreaming, that voice had to belong to Aeris. It had to. She felt so calm and peaceful when she heard her voice.  
  
Akira woke up suddenly and found herself in the Cosmo Canyon Inn. Yuffie, Tifa and Elena beside her was all fast asleep. They had shared a room. She wondered who her mother was going to bring. "'But do not be afraid, because they are friends?' Who would Cloud and the others be afraid of?" All of a sudden, Akira gasped, "no, it can't be. Could it? Could it be that Aeris was going to bring Sephiroth back with her? And Jenova? No, Aeris was not such a fool to bring Jenova back. But perhaps Sephiroth. After all, from all the information I've gathered so far, I don't think Sephiroth did have any freedom whatsoever. But then, Sephiroth and who else? Friends... And was the Sephiroth everyone talking about the Sephiroth she knew? Perhaps, we'll just have to see. It would be right with all the date and infusions for it to be the Sephiroth I know" Akira laid down on her bed. She tossed around but she just couldn't sleep. "Ugh...that's it!" She said to herself. She looked at the clock. "Only 4:22. Good enough. Light pink, baby blue, creamy yellow, light green or just plain white?" She was looking in the wardrobe. Five different colour dresses all sleeveless and long, up to her ankles. "White today." After dressing up, she put her hair up in a ponytail with a white hair tie decorated with white flowers. Looking at the room one last time before she left, she checked the clock. 5:39. Akira opened the door and gasped in surprise.  
  
Reno grinned at her, "Good morning!" Akira looked at him a bit shocked. "I heard you in the next room. You were loud enough to wake up all the people in the inn. Good thing we're sleeping with some pigs."  
  
Akira smiled at Reno, "I'm sure whoever's sleeping in the same room as you won't enjoy that comment."  
  
"Reeve and Rude." Reno smirked.  
  
"I'm sure they would've heard me if they wanted to."  
  
Reno winked at her, "Are you saying that I wanted to hear you leave so I can come out with you?"  
  
"I don't know, but you should. Let's go out for a walk." Akira winked back. Reno nodded, took out his hand and held Akira hand. Akira giggled for a moment and they walked out the inn door.  
  
*****  
  
Tifa opened up her eyes as she heard knocking outside the door. She heard Cloud's voice.  
  
"Tifa, Yuffie, Akira, Elena. Wake up!"  
  
"Oh god! It's still so early!" Elena shouted.  
  
"My dearest four ladies, it's already 7:00." Reeve said and they heard Cid add "And Barret's still sleeping like a pig."  
  
Yuffie opened the door in her usual shirt and shorts "Reeve, you mean three ladies? Akira isn't here. But her stuff is all packed."  
  
"She probably went for a morning walk again." Tifa muttered from the room.  
  
"With Reno again?" Reeve asked suspiciously.  
  
"Reno? He's awake already?" They all asked at the same time.  
  
"Umm...yeah..." Reeve replied.  
  
"That's weird, Reno rarely wakes up that early. He's usually the last to get up." Elena said, walking out of the room with her navy suit.  
  
Just then, the door of the inn opened. Reno and Akira walked in. "Good morning!" Akira said cheerfully.  
  
"Since everyone's here, we'll be going to Junon in two hours..." Cloud said.  
  
"We forgot the pig." Cid reminded.  
  
Akira looked around the room and noticed Barret was missing. "I don't think Barret will be too happy to hear that comment, Cid."  
  
Cloud smiled, he could picture clearly what Barret would've said if he heard Cid's comment. "I'll get Barret to wake up. You guys go have breakfast first."  
  
"Be sure to get Red too. He's probably in the observatory." Tifa said, finally walking out of the door, dressed.  
  
"Let's go then." Reeve started out the door towards his breakfast.  
  
*****  
  
Cid sighed, "another damn day of adventures."  
  
"You know what I'd really like right now? A damn vacation with Marlene that lasts for more than half a day." Barret grumbled shoving a pancake in his mouth.  
  
"I'm sorry..." Akira apologized.  
  
"Umm...don't worry about what I just said. I wasn't thinking about what I was saying." Barret turned crimson red.  
  
Reno turned away from his plate of food to Barret. "Then don't say it when you don't mean it. By the way, don't you have to think before you can talk? Since the mind controls all?" he smirked.  
  
"Shut tha hell up."  
  
"Can't make me."  
  
Cloud sighed, "God damn it, Reno. Can't you just shut up? I've had enough of your bullshit."  
  
"How about you tell Barret to shut up about the vacation? There's a reason why Akira came to you, she thought you might be help to her. If you think it's such a waste of your time, then fine, I'll go with Akira." Reno pushed his chair in and started walking out the door and said, "Common Akira." Akira followed quietly behind him.  
  
"What the hell is wrong with Reno?" Reeve asked.  
  
"Dunno..." Barret replied.  
  
"He's been really weird since we met you." Elena looked confused. Never had she seen him so protective around anyone. Not even his ex-girlfriends, not that he treated them like any girlfriends.  
  
"Haven't any of you noticed anything by now?" Vincent asked. Red nodded in response.  
  
"Can it be...?" Tifa asked slowly with doubt.  
  
"Possibly." Red just replied.  
  
"Ugh, Reno and Akira? That just wouldn't work." Yuffie made a disgusted face.  
  
Rude stood up and said, just before disappearing through the door, "Not necessarily."  
  
Reeve stood up, "He's never the one to speak a lot, eh?" Rude was not a man of words.  
  
*****  
  
"Reno...thanks for sticking up to me..." Akira blushed as they walked out of Cosmo Canyon with their hands together.  
  
"You're very welcomed." Reno started towards the direction of Gongaga, "here."  
  
"Huh? Aren't we going to Junon?" Then reality sank in, "We'll never make it in time before them. They have the Highwind. And anyways, we're suppose to be heading towards Costa Del Sol."  
  
"That's why we're going to Gongaga, The Turks always has an extra helicopter there. If I use the helicopter, we might be able to beat them, we have one and a half hour to get to Gongaga, then if I speed up the helicopter fast, we might get there first, and anyways, you know where the materia is, you can feel it." Reno began jogging towards Gongaga.  
  
"But I don't know how to resurrect them!"  
  
"Cosmo Canyon isn't the only place that has research books, and anyways, we'll have the clear materia, then we can fly and get the white materia."  
  
"True..."  
  
After a few minutes, Akira started slowing down. "We can't make it, it's so far away."  
  
"But we have to go on." Reno said, facing Akira. "We're almost there. Have to keep going."  
  
*****  
  
"They do know that they can't possibly catch up on the Highwind on foot." Tifa said thoughtfully.  
  
"They're up to something." Vincent said.  
  
Barret grunted, "Tell us something we don't know."  
  
"Barret..." Cloud started.  
  
"Start changing your attitude." Elena ended.  
  
Barret growled "Shut up."  
  
Cid walked up to Cosmo Canyon to find Barret and the other members of the group arguing with him. "Hey! We can start moving our asses anytime we want."  
  
"It's a good thing I don't have to pack up." Yuffie said.  
  
"Come to think of it...it really doesn't matter..." Tifa replied, "We don't have anything to pack... And I'd really rather pack than read all day long till we find the information we need."  
  
"Don't remind me." Yuffie grumbled. "Maybe I should whine to Cloud to let me go on the trip."  
  
"Don't even try it." Red said sharply. "Groups have been formed."  
  
*****  
  
"Should we start looking then?" Reeve asked, waving goodbye to those on Highwind heading towards Junon.  
  
Red took a book out, "Might as well. We don't have much else to do till they get Eternal and Holy. Then we'll have to go resurrect Aeris..."  
  
"Where do you think Aeris will be resurrected?" Tifa asked, then following Red's example.  
  
Red shook his head, "I don't know, but that's what we're trying to find out."  
  
"Damn these books are dusty. I think I'm going to fucking sneeze." Yuffie whined.  
  
Tifa winced at the colourful language she learned from Cid. "Stop your whining, Yuffie." Reeve sighed, "Looking for information and listening to Yuffie whine. I can't take it! This is just not my day!"  
  
Red looked indifferent, "Just don't pay any attention to her and you won't be going nuts."  
  
"Reeve, it's really not that bad. There are some interesting stuff in here.about materias, the universe, stars...it's pretty interesting sometimes." Tifa grabbed another blue-cover book.  
  
Yuffie yawned, "Well then, since I don't think it's interesting, can I take a nap? I woke up at 7:00 this morning!"  
  
"As long as you shut up." Reeve said quietly.  
  
"Calm down, Reeve." Tifa said.  
  
"I can't anymore!!! She is driving me nuts!"  
  
"...you've been with her for such a long time already. Why not a few days more?" Red asked politely.  
  
"Guess you're right..." Reeve grumbled.  
  
"I'm going to take a nap then. Good night!" Yuffie smirked at Reeve.  
  
"Yuffie, you sound and you're acting more like Reno everyday." Tifa grinned.  
  
Yuffie looked shocked, "Me? Reno? I don't think so!" Reeve smiled mockingly.  
  
"Yuffie, shut up and sleep." Red smiled  
  
Tifa faked a frown, "You're not much fun, Red."  
  
"I never said I was..." Red replied.  
  
"Damn it! There's a thousand of these books that are sooo boring! Red, how do you expect us to read through all of these?!" Yuffie whined again.  
  
"I thought you were going to bed, female Reno?" Red asked as he chuckled to himself and heard Tifa and Reeve burst out laughing. That certainly made Yuffie stare at Red accusingly.  
  
Reeve thought for a while. "Perhaps she and Reno should get married, since they're so nice together."  
  
Yuffie was now frowning, "Okay buddy, being like him is bad enough, but being married to such a god damn jerk like him is just nasty! Anyone who marries him is either a slut, very ugly woman...well maybe not, since Reno would like someone pretty..." and she continued on her list, "or nuts or just blind!"  
  
"There you go! One thing Reno doesn't do. He doesn't frown." Reeve said.  
  
"Akira isn't a slut, ugly or nuts...or blind, or dumb for that matter. Which means you should take back what you just said. And the previous question. I thought you were going to bed, Yuffie?" Red asked.  
  
"No, I'm not going to bed. Akira isn't any of the five because she is not Reno's girlfriend or wife!" Yuffie insisted.  
  
"How do you know? Though I do wish Reno and Akira aren't a couple. Yuffie, you sound like you've never liked someone... By the way, this book is pretty interesting..." Tifa kept on reading.  
  
"I...I liked someone...when I was a kid...He once said, if I wasn't married, he'd come back and marry me. We were really good friends. But...he moved...and I never saw him again." Yuffie said sadly, then added, "Why don't you want Reno and Akira to be a couple? Is it cause you like Reno?"  
  
Tifa suddenly blushed and said, "Hell no! It's just better for Akira..." Tifa ended quietly.  
  
"Yuffie, you remember that guy's name?" Reeve asked.  
  
"No..." Yuffie whispered regretfully. "I should've remember his name.."  
  
"We've talked for longer than we expected. Let's get reading..." Red passed Yuffie a book.  
  
Reeve took out a new book and said, "Very colourful book..." Reeve looked at his brown VERY dusty book.  
  
"Agreed." Tifa said sarcastically, "Red, how long have the books not been touched?"  
  
"Half a century maybe? I really don't know." He replied.  
  
*****  
  
"I wonder how they're doing right now..." Elena wondered.  
  
Cid teased, "You mean those two lovebirds?"  
  
"...No comment on that." Elena replied.  
  
"Cid, they're not lovebirds...at least, I hope not..." Cloud said.  
  
"And why the hell not?" Elena shot back.  
  
"Because, you, The Turks would kill anyone for a bit of money!" Cloud shouted.  
  
"We're not like that! Reno isn't either!" She said calmly.  
  
"The Turks are untrustworthy, if Akira is hurt, I'm going to blame it on Reno."  
  
Cid cut in, "That's damn weird, Barret usually starts swearing and dissing The Turks when we talk about them."  
  
"He's sleeping, just finished whining about how early he had to wake up." Cloud then added, "I still don't like the idea about Reno and Akira being a couple though."  
  
"Why the hell do you care? She's not YOUR girlfriend or anything! And she's an adult, she should know what she's doing!" Elena yelled.  
  
"If Reno really like a girl, then he will do anything to protect her, even if it meant sacrificing himself..."  
  
Vincent stopped as Cloud said, "But the problem is you don't know if Reno likes Akira."  
  
"I'm not finished yet." Vincent replied calmly. "In this case, Akira will not get hurt. At all. Unless Reno dies."  
  
"I have nothing to say about this, because I agree." Elena said, and walked off to the deck, away from all the others.  
  
"We'll be arriving at Junon in 1 hour. Vinny, that's the longest sentence I've heard you say at once so far. Backing up for Reno, eh?" Cid replied  
  
"I thought I told you not to call me Vinny"  
  
Rude just stood there, leaning on the wall, indifferent to everything, everyone, but himself in his own little world...  
  
"Stupid Cloud, he's such an ass, why can't he just trust in Reno? Just once!" Elena said loudly to herself. Loud enough for everyone on the airship to hear.  
  
*****  
  
"There it is!" Reno pointed at a dark navy helicopter with a white line across the middle. They started running towards it.  
  
"Thank god! I was getting so dam..." Akira stopped realizing what she was about to say, she put both her hands across her mouth and said, "I was getting really tired..."  
  
Reno chuckled slightly, "You could swear if you want. You know, I don't mind."  
  
"I know you don't mind, but if someone sees me swearing beside you, they'll think the famous Reno of The Turks is dating a rude lady, which isn't very nice, now is it?"  
  
"No, it isn't very nice, but you could do either way, I don't care." Reno held out his hand. "Come on, Ms.Akira." Akira hopped on to the seat next to Reno.  
  
Akira bent over and grabbed something stuck beneath the seat and pulled it out. Pink.and it looks like something from a dress. Such a soft cloth... Akira held it in front of Reno. "Whose is it? Surely, it must be a girl's..."  
  
Reno looked shocked for a second, then all emotions disappeared from his eyes, back to his cold eyes and replied, "No one's..."  
  
"You're...lying..."Akira said quietly and looked directly into his eyes. Her eyes widened and opened her mouth a few times before she finally spoke, "Whoever this was...She was...your girlfriend...wasn't she?"  
  
Reno looked really surprised, "Hell no!" and then looked away from her eyes. "It was...your mother's."  
  
"Aeris?!?!" She looked like she was going to faint any moment.  
  
Reno would be laughing if this wasn't so serious. "Akira, are you okay?"  
  
Akira shook her head, "Why?"  
  
Reno took a deep breath, started the helicopter and said, "I might as well tell you on the way to Junon. We don't have much time."  
  
Akira nodded.  
  
Reno took another deep breath, "It must have been a whole year ago.That day, President Shinra wanted to get Aeris because, as Hojo believed, an ancient would lead us to the Promised Land. We were ordered to catch the Ancient, which was your mother and destroy Sector 7 in order to kill AVALANCHE...Aeris was taken onto this helicopter."  
  
"Well, why were you so scared to tell me? It was The Turks' job. Aeris wouldn't have blamed you either. But I still don't get why Cloud, Barret and Tifa hates you so much."  
  
"You know about Sector 7 being destroyed. But you didn't know who bombed it... It was me...I pressed the button. Hell, I set the god damn bomb that made the whole fucking plate collapse, too." Reno said regretfully.  
  
"I...see..." It took a while for the truth to sink in. There was an uncomfortable silence. "So...When are we going to arrive to Junon?"  
  
"Thirty to forty-five minutes max..." Reno replied. "She'll never forgive me...I'm so...cold-blooded. I knew it was wrong, and I knew I was wrong too. But I couldn't have done anything. If I didn't press it, someone else would, right? And the President offered me a million...How could I have refused? How could anyone have refused? It was just pressing a little button. Maybe Cloud and the others were right.I would've killed anyone for money...Maybe...Akira isn't safe with me."  
  
"Reno...I just need a little time to think about what you told me. But I hope you know...Whatever you've done, I still love you. True love shouldn't be about what the other's past is." Akira thought to herself. And the rest of the trip passed silently with each thinking their own thoughts. 


	5. The Mayor

Reunited Friendship Chapter Five  
  
The Mayor  
  
By Crystal Bubble  
  
"God damn it" Reeve said for the hundredth time.  
  
Tifa sighed, "You know, Reeve. The books are really getting on my nerves too. But it REALLY doesn't help with you swearing every few seconds."  
  
"Sorry Tifa, can't help it." He replied.  
  
Yuffie suddenly said, "Incoming Important and Interesting Information!"  
  
Everyone gathered around Yuffie and asked "What is it?"  
  
Yuffie grinned, "I am currently dying of boredom."  
  
"I can't believe it..." growled Red, "getting really pissed of by Yuffie now."  
  
"Calm down there, Red. Female Reno's just trying to piss us off, just like Reno...And she's doing pretty good there." Reeve replied.  
  
"Oh shut the fuck up, Mr.Smartass." Yuffie growled angrily.  
  
"We really ought to get Cid to stop swearing, just look at what he did to Yuffie." Tifa sighed. "She really didn't use to swear like this."  
  
"I agree" Red's temper seemed to be going down. "Now if you don't mind Yuffie, you can either stop pissing us off and start working like the rest of us and don't talk, or you can either walk out the door until one of the two groups find something, or either the other group comes back. We've been searching for three whole hours and it's starting to get on everyone's nerves. We don't need someone else bothering us. They should've arrived at Junon two hours ago."  
  
Yuffie was about to argue, but she knew they were right. She looked down, "I'll stop whining and help."  
  
"Good." All three of the replied.  
  
Yuffie's eyes widened for second, "Umm...Guys?"  
  
"What?" Tifa asked.  
  
"Would you believe if I told you, I found the information we needed?" Yuffie replied.  
  
"...No comment" Reeve replied.  
  
Red hesitated, and said, "...Probably not."  
  
"Fine! I found it, it's right here." Yuffie pushed the book in front of all three of them.  
  
Red began reading and after a few minutes, he heard Tifa ask, "Is it right?" Red only replied with "Good job Yuffie." Yuffie receive a pat on the back from Reeve.  
  
*****  
  
As they landed down in Junon, Reno held out his hand so Akira could climb down. Once she did, Reno let go and started going ahead of her. She grabbed his hand and pulled him back. He looked at her as if he was confused.  
  
"Look Reno, I'm not going to hate you just because you blew up that stupid Sector, what's past is past. I don't care what past you had, as long as you're going to be nice to me and as long as you're going to love me, I don't give a damn what you look like or what you did." Akira looked straight into his eyes.  
  
Reno thought for a second. "So it's going to be fine if I look like a monster with wings and three eyes and two horns sticking out of my head? With six arms and ten legs? You wouldn't care?" Reno grinned.  
  
"Okay. Maybe I wouldn't like that, but just stay the way you are now. Cause right now, you're the most handsome man I've seen." Akira smiled at him.  
  
"Of course! I've gotta be the most handsome man ever."  
  
Akira sighed, "You are pretty cocky, aren't you my dear? Anyways, I HAVE been stuck in a tube for 19 years, haven't seen a lot of man though. So I might just be wrong about you being handsome." Akira grinned at Reno's amused face.  
  
"That's not very nice."  
  
"You're not very nice to a lot of people." Akira grinned even wider.  
  
"But I am to you." Reno replied, a hurt look on his face.  
  
"All right, all right, I'm sorry." Akira replied.  
  
"That's all? Only an apology? No hugs? No kisses?"  
  
"Nope." Akira said smiling.  
  
Reno smirked, "You know I don't take no for an answer." Reno said softly and slowly pushed Akira back until her back was against the helicopter softly and kissed her. After a few minutes, he pulled back and said, "That's the first time I heard you swear."  
  
"What?"  
  
"You said, in the exact words, 'I don't give a damn about what you look like or what you did.'" Reno grinned.  
  
"Opps." Her face turned bright red. Reno grinned, pulled her close and kissed her again. And they found themselves pulling back when they heard a familiar sound.  
  
"Hmm...The Highwind." Reno took Akira's hand, "Let's go."  
  
Akira stayed, "Reno...Come on, we'll go with them."  
  
"I don't think so."  
  
"Please, we need the information they have, the others in Cosmo Canyon probably has all the information already, they're just waiting for the materia."  
  
"Aren't you even mad at them?" Reno asked curiously.  
  
"No...They have the right to not be happy about it. I dragged them into the mess."  
  
"But they wanted to bring Aeris back too."  
  
"It really doesn't matter who's right." Akira looked into his eyes and suddenly hugged him. She quietly said, "Reno...you're so much like a teddy bear. You're so huggable."  
  
Reno raised his eyebrow, "Gee, thanks, more like a teddy bear than boyfriend. That's so nice of you."  
  
Akira smiled, "Let's go." Reno nodded and went off to the direction of the landing Highwind, hand in hand.  
  
*****  
  
Barret looked out the window and said, "There's this couple walking towards us, one is wearing a white dress and the other is wearing a blue suit."  
  
"Reno." Rude said.  
  
"And Akira." Elena added.  
  
"How the hell did they get here so fast?!" Barret yelled.  
  
Vincent shrugged, "Told you they were up to something."  
  
Cid grunted, "Don't tell me they out ran my baby."  
  
"It's not impossible. But they couldn't have ran all the way here, and they couldn't have swam past to get here." Cloud replied.  
  
Elena didn't bother to join in, all she did was let Reno and Akira climb up and asked, "So fast? What did you travel on?"  
  
Reno winked at Rude and Elena and said a single word, "Gongaga." And instantly received a pat on the back by both comrades.  
  
"Great thinking, buddy." Rude said.  
  
Everyone but the four were now confused, "Gongaga?" Barret scratched the back of his head.  
  
"We can talk about this later. Where's the Junon safes?" Akira asked.  
  
"At the top of the whole building. We can either sneak in with SOLDIER uniforms or we can threaten the Mayor. Well, which one is it, oh fearless leader." Reno smirked.  
  
"Shut up Reno. Would be safer with the SOLDIER uniforms, threatening the Mayor might get us in a heap of trouble." Cloud replied.  
  
"But we ARE The Turks and AVALANCHE." Reno replied as they all climbed back down the airship.  
  
"I guess so, we can start talking to him, and then if that doesn't work, you can do that rest." Cloud said.  
  
Reno grinned, "Finally, a little fun."  
  
"I DO hope you don't get the Mayor too scared, Reno." Akira said stopping where she was..  
  
Reno put a fake sad face on, "You're spoiling my fun, missy."  
  
Elena looked back, "Reno, Akira, you two are falling behind."  
  
"Wanna race? Beat you to the building first" Reno asked and pointed to a building.  
  
Akira just nodded, "I get a head start!"  
  
"And why's that?!" Reno asked.  
  
"Because I said so!" Akira started running with Reno catching up behind her.  
  
Cid just looked back in time to miss the two racing for the building to hit him, "What the fuck?! Watch where you're going you stupid kids! Where the fuck is Reno and Akira?"  
  
"Umm.the ones you called kids were them..." Cloud pointed out.  
  
"Oh...They look more like childhood friends than lovebirds right now." Cid replied.  
  
"They might be childhood friends, you never know." Elena said.  
  
"Can't be, Akira was created in a tube for her whole life till recently, so she can't have known Reno before." Cloud replied and saw Elena nod. "Let's get going, because I have a feeling we're gonna have to wait a while before the Mayor let's us in his office."  
  
"Beat you!" They heard Reno shout.  
  
"Shut up" Akira said, pouting her face. "It was only by a few centimetres."  
  
"Because you lost, you owe me a kiss." Reno pushed Akira's back softly towards the wall.  
  
"Not now...They're looking." Her face flushed red.  
  
Reno looked back and sighed, "Fine, but now, you owe me two kisses." Akira nodded.  
  
Soon enough, they took the elevator and came to the Mayor's secretary. She looked up and said, "What would you like?"  
  
Reno stepped forward and began talking, "Tell Mr.Camillo that The Turks and AVALANCHE are coming to see him. And we want in the office as soon as possible." Reno got a look from the secretary looking at his messy suit and he sighed. "Look honey, you can stop staring at my irresistible body and tell that The Turks and AVALANCHE are coming to see him, or you can let me kick the door open and tell him myself. Well darling? Which one is it?"  
  
The secretary was frightened and picked up the phone immediately, "Mr.Camillo. The Turks and AVALANCHE wants to see you." And she put the phone down. "He says he'll be out soon..."  
  
Reno looked at her amusingly and sat down on a couch. He looked at his watch and signal Akira to sit beside him. She just shook her head. "God damn it. I don't understand women, one second, they talk and play with you like she's known you forever, the other second, I tell her to sit beside me, she just shakes her head like a stranger. And it's only 10:25. Long way to go till Mr.Camillo's coming out. Probably been making out with another girl last night and he's probably sleeping with her right now."  
  
Everyone stood waiting impatiently and watched the clock strike 11. Akira still refused to sit beside Reno. Reno walked up to her and said harshly, "I need to talk to you. Now." Took her by the hand and dragged her out and noticed Cloud getting up and following him. "Oh no you don't, you stay there, Strife. You stay there till the bloody Mayor comes out." Now that he was out of the room and in the hallway and out of earshot, he looked at Akira. "What's wrong now?"  
  
"Nothing." Looked at the floor.  
  
"I'm serious. What is wrong?" He lifted her head up.  
  
"...nothing."  
  
"Akira, what the fuck is wrong? Are you jealous cause I talked like that to the secretary?"  
  
"No. Just...leave me alone. I don't care." She looked away from him and looked at the sea.  
  
"I had no idea women could be jealous so easily. Actually, yeah I did." Reno sighed and said calmly, "If you didn't care, then why are you not looking at me?"  
  
Akira opened her mouth, and closed it, "Cause you're so ugly."  
  
Reno laughed a hollow laugh. "Me? Ugly? An hour ago, you said I was the most handsome man in the world. Now I'm ugly. How the heck do women think? Mind telling me?" "Damn this is going to be a challenge...Wha- Wait! What the hell am I thinking? This is my girlfriend, she's not one of those whores on the streets of Midgar. Am I thinking she's trash now? Hell no! But I can't help thinking, I want her. She has perfect curves around her body even though her breasts weren't as big as Tifa... Well no duh. But nonetheless, they weren't small."  
  
"Yes I mind telling you. You probably has had more experience with women than me. Now if you don't mind let me get back in." Akira shook away the grip Reno had on her hand and took off.  
  
Reno grabbed her shoulder just in time, "Akira...I..." and heard a noise behind him, he instantly turned around, and caught sight of Mr.Camillo and ran after him to the washroom.  
  
Akira was a bit annoyed and headed back to the waiting room. "Where's Reno?" she heard Elena.  
  
A bit of temper came with her voice, "He saw the Mayor in the hall and took off after him." After a few minutes, they saw Reno dragging the Mayor, a fat man in the office with the secretary screaming the name Mr.Camillo. And so, they decided to follow in the office after Reno and was astonished to find a woman lying on the couch, half-naked, if it wasn't for the sheet of cover, she'd just be naked.  
  
Reno just said under his breath, "I knew I was right." Took a look at his watch. 11:25. Exactly an hour. And he was out of patience and just skipped Cloud's speech. "Look Camillo. We need to get to the Junon safes. Now."  
  
All though he was frightened, he knew they would not harm him in any way. "MISTER Camillo to you, Reno of The Turks."  
  
Now Reno was getting aggressive, "I know my own name." It was getting hard to hold his temper down, and Akira wasn't there to help. Elena saw right through Reno for once and patted his back. That instantly calmed him down. A bit.  
  
"Your girlfriend, Turk?" Now the Mayor looked amused. The rest of a group said nothing, not wanting to provoke Reno any further.  
  
"Oh yeah, she's my girlfriend. Now tell me where the fuck are the safes?" Reno's mako infused eyes were now glowing with rage.  
  
Camillo gulped, he eyed the whole group and finally said, "All right, I'll show you the safes. But..."  
  
Now it was Cloud's turn, "But?"  
  
"Turk, I just want some fun with one of the girls you have. If the blond one's your girlfriend, I'll take the brown-haired one." Camillo smiled, the brown-haired one was cuter anyways. And he instantly received a glare from everyone in AVALANCHE, even Vincent.  
  
Cloud was afraid of Reno accepting, so he opened his mouth to talk when Reno said, "Shut the fuck up, Strife. Just do me a favour and shut the fuck up." That shut Cloud's mouth at once.  
  
"Well?"  
  
"Well, the answer is no." Now most of his anger was gone, he was feeling much better. That anger almost felt like when his dad. "God damn, stop wandering off."  
  
"And why not?"  
  
"Because, she's mine."  
  
"But isn't that blond your chick?"  
  
"Haven't you heard of men with more than one women?" He paused, and took his gun out, aiming for his head. "And if you ask again, I'm afraid there's nothing I can do but shoot. Now tell me where the fuck the safes are."  
  
He stuttered, "J-Just on th-the fl-floor on t-top."  
  
"Now stop talking like that and you're coming with us. And if you play a trick on us, you should know the consequences. You know The Turk's job." And added under his breath, "Ah fuck, 11:57. And I was hoping to finish this shit soon. Tough Luck."  
  
Once they reached the safes, they all looked expectantly at Akira. She shook her head lightly, "We're getting closer, but, I don't think this is the right room."  
  
"Might as well look. Looks like a normal materia, 'cept it's fucking clear?" Cid asked.  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
After about half an hour of search, Cloud's PHS rang. "Hello? Oh, hi Tif. No, we just got to the safes a little while ago. Took a while for Reno to get the Mayor going. Yes, we're all fine. We might not be coming to Cosmo Canyon tonight. Depends what time. Yeah, sure. I'll phone you then."  
  
"Yo Spike. It's been around an hour since we searched. Not even a quarter the room. We needa have some freegin' lunch too, foo!" Cloud knew Barret's unmistakable voice by heart.  
  
"Yeah, yeah. Lunch breaks guys." Cloud heading out the door, leaving Reno to talk to Camillo, he did NOT want anything to do with the Mayor.  
  
"Camillo, be back in one hour, have your lunch." Reno said, followed by Elena and Rude.  
  
Akira thought bitterly to herself, "Was Elena Reno's girlfriend?"  
  
*****  
  
"Miss? What would you like for lunch? And for drinks?" the waitress asked.  
  
"Salad and a cup of tea please." Answered Akira, still deep in thought. Suddenly noticing the waitress was taking order for Reno and he was hitting on her. She ignored it, faking herself as she was deep in thought.  
  
"Oh please, sir. What would you like?"  
  
Reno grinned, "All right, a soup of the day and red wine."  
  
"That's all?" the waitress asked.  
  
"Yea, babe, not hungry." And gave the waitress his womanizing grin.  
  
After everyone ordered, Elena said to Reno, "Drinking too much alcoholic isn't good for you."  
  
"Look honey, I think I have enough brains to figure that out."  
  
Elena glared at Reno, "Would you PLEASE stop calling me these names? I really have no interest in you."  
  
Rude smiled amusingly, "Reno doesn't have interest in you either. He's not interested in women."  
  
"Fuck you, Rude."  
  
"Buddy, I'm not interested in men, you're not my type."  
  
Reno found himself smirking at that, "Well, well, well. Red wine has arrived. Pretend to be drunk and hit on the waitress, and hell with Akira." Reno gulped the whole cup of red wine down and walked unbalanced to the waitress.  
  
"Is he really THAT fucking drunk?" Cid asked.  
  
"No. He's just acting" Akira answered and added, "I'll be right back, washroom." Elena smiled and followed her in.  
  
"Ya know Akira..."  
  
"Please Elena, I know what he's doing, and I don't give a damn."  
  
"I know you have feelings for Reno, just admit it."  
  
"I never denied." She sprayed water on her own face to clear her head a bit.  
  
Elena found that she didn't have anything to say, "You know, that's just...Reno. He does that wherever he goes."  
  
"I told you, I don't give a damn."  
  
"Oh yes you do."  
  
"No I don't, excuse me, but I want to eat my salad, if you want to talk, you can switch seats with Vincent, I'm sure he wouldn't mind." Akira picked the farthest seat away from Reno possible.  
  
"Fine, I think I'll do that."  
  
"Thank you. The washroom kinda stinks, ya know."  
  
Elena smiled and opened the door for her. As they passed the waitress, they noticed Reno wasn't flirting anymore, he had gone back to his seat for his soup, and her own soup was beside Reno. "Gee, I hope he doesn't spit in it by accident."  
  
"Oh come on! Tell Vincent to switch place." Akira said.  
  
"All right, all right." She rolled her eyes and walked over to Vincent. "Umm...Vincent? I was wondering, if I can trade spots with you."  
  
"Don't want to sit with a Shinra?" Barret asked.  
  
"Er, I have some things to...discuss with Akira." Elena replied. Akira just chuckled softly to herself, but loud enough for everyone to notice.  
  
"Sure." Vincent replied.  
  
Reno blinked, "Akira wasn't pissed?" He stared at the two girls talking happily and once in a while, they start bursting out in laughter. "They sure as hell better not be talking about me."  
  
After lunch, they went back to searching, and soon, it was 6:36, and they had finally finished the search and they were NOT happy. They found nothing like the materia.  
  
Vincent lifted his head and saw Camillo, "Is there another storage room, or safe room?"  
  
"Uh...yes."  
  
"DAMN FOO! Now you tell us?! Take your ass with you and get yourself over there with us!" Barret waved his hands up in the air.  
  
Once they got to the other safe room, Reno dismissed Camillo and once again, they all looked at Akira, "It's here" she whispered softly.  
  
"What the hell are we waiting for? Get looking!" Cid shouted.  
  
"Guys, follow me, I know where it is." Akira said, turning to her left and then right. "Here."  
  
"You sure?" Reno said uncertainly.  
  
Akira was going to reply with a less than friendly reply when Elena said, "I'm sure Akira wouldn't want to be stuck here either. Let's look." Akira felt maddened, but what she felt in her heart hurt, like hell. It hurt her to think that Reno didn't believed her, it hurt her to think that it was HIM that asked the question, and not the others. It hurt her to even think about Reno. She was in pain. Not physically, but mentally. Elena saw something was bothering her. She tapped Akira and was surprised her reaction was still so fast. "What's wrong?" Akira asked.  
  
"Are you...all right?" Elena asked.  
  
"Yes, yes, I'm fine, I need to go to the washroom."  
  
"You know where to get there?"  
  
"I'll just ask the Mayor. Don't worry about me. The materia is somewhere around here. I'll see you in a few minutes, Elena." She gave Elena a quick smile, and disappeared through the door.  
  
Reno looked at her curiously and instantly received a glare from Elena and she went back to searching. He sighed, already seven. It's been a long day.  
  
*****  
  
"Umm...Mr.Camillo?" Akira asked.  
  
"Oh, hi."  
  
"I was wondering where the washroom was?" She said politely.  
  
"Go out, turn left, then turn left again." He replied.  
  
She nodded a thanks and went her way.  
  
When she came back, the Mayor was looking at her. "Want to come here and have some coffee?"  
  
"No, it's all right, my friends are waiting for me. I need to go help them."  
  
He nodded, "That's very nice of you, but, I guess, a cup of coffee won't take too much time?"  
  
"...I...guess..." The truth was, Akira wanted to stay away from him as much as possible.  
  
The Mayor went to the coffee machine and poured out some coffee, and slowly poured some white powder down and watching it dissolve fast. He smiled an evil smile and thought how smart he was. He saw her drink the whole cup of coffee down without even a hint of doubt.  
  
She stood up and was about to go back to where her friends where were and said, "Mr.Camillo thanks for... the...cup... ... of... ... ... coffee... ..." And she feel back into her seat.  
  
*****  
  
"Okay Elena, where the hell did she go?" Reno asked, he felt something was wrong.  
  
"Oh, Akira? She went to the washroom." She looked at her watch. "She's been gone for ten minutes, I'm getting worried."  
  
"Don't worry, she probably got herself lost or something. She'll be back soon, I'm sure" Cloud replied. "Uh, guys, is this the materia?" He picked up a small clear materia.  
  
"Hell yeah! Great job! We get to go home!" Reno cheered and saw the colour drain from Elena's face. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god."  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"Akira...she...went to ask Camillo where the washroom was."  
  
"And?" Reno asked. Then colour drained from his face too, and only said one word, "Fuck." He raced out and shouted to Cloud, "Take the materia with you!" The others followed the two Turks in front with confusion.  
  
*****  
  
"Yeah, I'm awake, but I'm so tired...where am I?" Akira thought to herself and found herself looking at Camillo.  
  
"Hi babe."  
  
Akira put a disgusted face, "Can I please go? My friends, need my help."  
  
"You need your friends help right now."  
  
"What do you mean?" She was acting dumb, she knew exactly what was happening. "I have to keep calm. Like Reno, right? He's calm, whatever the problem is, he's calm." But another voice in her head screamed at her "You're not Reno, damn it."  
  
The Mayor kissed his wet lips down Akira's face and neck, and began to move his hands up under my dress. She tried to push him away with both her arms, but he just pushed them to her sides. Akira was horrified. She was sobbing.  
  
"There's nothing I can do...Even Marlene can beat me right now. I'm so weak." She thought to herself. "Reno...Where are you?" She felt tears trickle down her cheeks. And finally, the Mayor looked at her, and tried to rip up her dress from the top, where her neck was. Akira heard her dress rip and the door bursting open. "The door? Opening...? Was, Reno here? It...had to be my imagination. He couldn't be here so fast. I didn't lose conscience for long. I would've guess about a few minutes...Reno..." And fell unconscious again as Reno pulled the Mayor off Akira.  
  
*****  
  
"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck. I should've asked Elena where she went the second she left. I shouldn't have pissed her off on purpose. I shouldn't have called the secretary honey or whatever I called her. I shouldn't have flirted with the waitress. I shouldn't have ignored her. I shouldn't have doubted in her. If I didn't ask her if she was sure, she wouldn't have gone to the washroom. Akira, be safe, I'll do anything for you to be safe. Please.God damn that Mayor makes me think of Don Corneo. That fat bastard."  
  
He kept swearing with Elena behind him and Elena just tried to not let her emotions get to her. She wanted to cry. "It was all my fault. If I had told Reno instead of glaring at him, he probably would've figured it out before I did. Please be safe. The door!" She just saw Reno rushing in with the secretary screaming behind him and then, she saw it. The scene, she wanted to cry. Akira was limp on the couch, the Mayor was thrown on the ground, Reno was screaming Akira's name.  
  
"Akira!" He suddenly felt the urge to call her Kira. "Kira!" He didn't know how many times he screamed that over and over again. But finally, she opened her eyes.  
  
"...Re...Reno...? K...ira...?" She didn't know if this was a dream. It felt too real for a dream, but it was too fake to be real. Now, who in the world had call her that before? Who had call her Kira before Reno did?  
  
"Oh my fucking god Akira. Are you all right?" Reno looked at her, relieved for the moment. He saw her torn dress. "Shit...did he already?" "Akira...did he...?"  
  
She shook her head tiredly. Reno looked happy for a second before she said, "I don't know. I fell unconscious before you came in...I'm...sorry."  
  
"Look honey, you got nothing to be sorry for." Reno held her head in his arms, "The one that should be apologizing should be me."  
  
Akira smiled happily and whispered softly, only loud enough for Reno to hear, "You...called me...honey." And fell unconscious for the third time today.  
  
*****  
  
Akira awoke, "Reno?"  
  
"Right here."  
  
She spotted him beside her bed. "Where...am I? And the others?"  
  
"Junon Inn. The others are having dinner, I told them I would bring you down when you were awake. You scared the living hell out of me and Elena." He paused, "Well, and AVALANCHE too."  
  
She only smiled, "Good thing I brought an extra dress."  
  
"Oh right. Elena changed it for you."  
  
"Oh...okay...let's go see Elena. I don't want her getting too worried."  
  
"Aren't you curious about Camillo?"  
  
"Reno...please...I don't...want to know." Akira closed her eyes tightly. "Please..."  
  
Pained by the look on her face, he held her head in his arms, "All I'm going to say is, he didn't." It was good news anyhow.  
  
"Thank you. Let's get going." Akira said, and walked with Reno's aid. She felt so weak.  
  
*****  
  
Elena felt sick, Akira was probably the first friend she had. Well, as a girl anyways. After Akira fell unconscious again, Reno held Camillo with one hand high against the wall and made him tell if he had done, well, you know what to her. After about five times, he wouldn't answer, so Reno kicked him in the stomach a few times, and then he answered. Everyone felt relieved. They were all able to tell what happened after Reno rushed in and kept yelling Akira's name. Elena sighed, "That had to be the first time Reno showed any emotions at all. There was anger all over his face." After that, Reno carried Akira in his arms to the hotel.  
  
"Akira, you all right?" Rude spoke up and everyone looked towards the entrance. There they were, Akira still weak, but with Reno holding her up and aiding her. Rude smiled at how nice of a couple they were.  
  
"Yes, thanks Rude. And everyone."  
  
"Heh...You made us all worried sick." Barret said.  
  
Akira smiled weakly, "I know, Reno told me."  
  
"He sure fucking surprised me. You should've seen how damn protective he was around you and how he beat up that fucking bastard for you." Cid said.  
  
Akira raised her eyebrow, "You beat Camillo up?"  
  
"Uhh..." Reno looked at the ceiling then back at her, "No...?"  
  
Elena couldn't hold it any longer, she ran up to her and hugged her, making Akira lose balance and cause the two of them to almost fall down. Good thing Reno still had his arm around Akira.  
  
"Sorry Elena."  
  
"You scared the hell out of me."  
  
"I'm sorry..."  
  
"It's all right...come eat dinner." Akira nodded.  
  
"Akira? Tifa and the others wanted to hear from you first. I phoned them right away after we came back to the hotel." Cloud said.  
  
"Cloud...did you have to make it this big of a deal?"  
  
"Well...they are your friends too." Cloud scratched the back of his head.  
  
"All right...thanks then" Akira smiled, "Can I borrow a phone? I'll phone them right now. I'm not hungry anyhow." Akira heard Reno's stomach growl. "Reno, you stay here and eat dinner."  
  
He shook his head, "After your phone call."  
  
"Now."  
  
Reno sighed, "Fine, but who'll take care of you?"  
  
"I will." Rude said, "Come now."  
  
"Have fun with dinner, be back in a few minutes." And she walked out, now with the aid of Rude.  
  
*****  
  
"Heh...Rude?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Do you...have any idea what their phone number is?" Akira said embarrassingly.  
  
"Uh...yea..." Rude dialled the phone number and handed it back, "Here"  
  
"Thanks." She smiled back at Rude and then waited till someone picked up the phone. She heard Tifa's voice, "Hi Tifa. I'm fine. Yes, very." And the conversation went for a few minutes with Tifa asking her questions and Akira answering them and finally "All right, I'll say hi to everyone for you guys. We'll be back tomorrow. Yeah, I won't rush myself. See you." Akira sighed.  
  
"He was really worried about you."  
  
Akira looked at Rude in surprise, then replied "I know..."  
  
"He really likes you."  
  
Instead of saying I know, she said, "And you really like Tifa." Rude raised an eyebrow, but that was all Akira needed. "So I was right."  
  
"About?" Rude said.  
  
"You know what I mean, let's get going, before they get worried about me again." Rude nodded at held out his arm for her. "Thanks...Rude."  
  
*****  
  
Now, they were in the hallway, in front of all four of their rooms. "Well...I got it all figured out, Elena and Akira shares a room, Barret and I share a room, Cid and Vince shares a room and Rude and Reno can share a room. That all right?" Cloud asked.  
  
"Err...No" Reno replied. Everyone turned and looked at him. "Oh hell, none of you AVALANCHE's business. Elena, can you share a room with Rude for tonight? I need to say something to Akira, and it's important."  
  
Elena was less than happy to, but agreed nonetheless. She wanted Akira to be happy, and both of them to be so...confused about their relation. "Sure."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"I dun agree." Barret said.  
  
Akira spoke, "It's all right, I'm an adult, I know what I'm doing. Reno's an adult too. He knows what he's doing. And I'm sure he'll behave himself. Let's go to bed and go back to Cosmo Canyon tomorrow." And received a nod from everyone and they went their separate ways. She felt herself blush when she heard Reno close the door behind him. "Reno, I'm taking a shower."  
  
"Can I come in too?"  
  
"I was wrong..."  
  
"About?"  
  
"You behaving yourself."  
  
"Oh, well, I can't help with wanting you." And smirked himself when he received an instant grin. "Well, can I at least peek?"  
  
"No."  
  
"All right then, hurry up, I got something to talk to you about."  
  
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Akira rolled her eyes and Reno can't help think how cute she looked, and how close she was to have lost her, well, virginity. Because he wanted the one to take that, and Reno couldn't help but grin.  
  
*****  
  
Akira came out with her sleeping robe. "So, what did you want to tell me."  
  
"Er...well...I...needed to apologize."  
  
Akira looked confused, "For what? You didn't do anything wrong."  
  
"Er...for well, whatever you were pissed at and for hitting on the waitress." And he laid down on his bed.  
  
"Oh...that." Akira looked at him with his suit. "Reno?"  
  
  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Well...aren't you going to change?"  
  
"No."  
  
"All right then..." Akira turned off the light and went to her own bed and was not a bit surprised that Reno got up from his bed and slept in hers. "Would you at least mind to change into cleaner clothes? You're going to get me dirty too. And I just took a shower."  
  
"Oh now I'm hurt."  
  
"Reno..." staring into his glowing green eyes that were getting closer, and was cut off as she felt the kiss, she pulled Reno in bed with her.  
  
"Akira...Can I...call you Kira?" He asked.  
  
"Yes..."  
  
"Well Kira dear, you're not behaving yourself..."  
  
"Oh shut up." She said playfully and softly kissed him back. He deepened the kiss as he felt Akira's hand up his shirt slowly and gently.  
  
He moaned softly, hoping this would never end. Soft and slowly, he got his hands under her dress, never breaking the kiss.  
  
She could tell this wasn't the first time he had done this, he had done this plenty of times, to plenty of women, and she was jealous. He was so gentle with her, so tender and so soft. Somehow, she ended on top of Reno, their kissed ended a while ago. "Reno..." she whispered softly. She laid her head on his chest, hearing his breathing and the beating of his heart. "...I...love..." All of a sudden, there was a knock on the door.  
  
"Damn." Reno cussed, whoever it was, he was sure he'd punch him quite a few times, and they had just started. Reno gave her a look that meant 'don't talk'. Akira nodded. And Reno put on back his blue suit on and yelled in a fake tired voice, "Who the hell is it? God damn. It's midnight already."  
  
"It's Cloud." Reno was disturbed, "Give me a second to get used to the light god damn it." He told Akira quietly to act asleep and put on the covers. And before he went to open the door, he messed up his own bed. "Coming..." He opened the door, "What is it?"  
  
"Uhh...I just had to tell you that we're leaving at eight tomorrow..."  
  
"Couldn't you just have woken me up tomorrow morning?" Reno was grumpy.  
  
"Sorry...Where's Akira?"  
  
"She's asleep, I didn't touch her, all right? You better not come in every hour of the night, because I'm behaving myself very well. Even though I'm dying for her." Reno grinned at the last comment.  
  
"You better behave yourself well."  
  
"Whatever Strife. Can I go back to bed now?"  
  
"Yeah..." and was going to say something else when Reno slammed the door shut in his face. "Grumpy."  
  
"Reno...yeah right." Akira said quietly.  
  
"Oh shadup, you're the one who was misbehaving, you pulled me in bed." Reno grinned back.  
  
"...Whatever, turn off the lights please?" Reno turned off the lights and went back to sleep with Akira. "Told you, you weren't behaving either."  
  
"Kira, go to bed."  
  
"Yes daddy."  
  
"I'm too young to be your dad and I don't want to be your dad either." And Akira put her head on Reno's chest and her right hand holding onto his left hand on his chest and fell asleep quite quickly only hearing the beating of his heart and she was afraid that one day, Reno might leave her. Reno, on the other hand was thinking about the angel in his arms.  
  
Author's Notes: Heh, anyways, that's my 5th chapter. Please review. Thanks all. Anyways, tell me of what you think and what couples you like and feel free to email me at clear_crystalglobe@hotmail.com. This has got to be the longest chapter I wrote. I'm also starting a Yuffie/Reno short story and also Reno's past. So if you have any ideas, just email me =) 


	6. Past Memories

Reunited Friendship Chapter Six  
  
Past Memories  
  
By Crystal Bubble  
  
"Ugh..." Akira said, obviously awake.  
  
"Good morning, sunshine." She heard a familiar voice saying.  
  
Akira moved closer to him, "You're already awake? What time is it by the way?"  
  
"Hmm...7:30."  
  
Akira wrinkled her nose, "You stink. Go take a shower."  
  
"I did already."  
  
"What? At what time did you wake up?"  
  
"A few minutes ago, actually." Reno grinned.  
  
She raised her eyebrow, "You could not have possibly taken a shower in a few minutes Reno."  
  
"I never told you I took a shower this morning. But I did two days ago!"  
  
"..." Akira took a deep breath, "You go take a shower NOW you stinky piece of sh...err...crap. You're making the whole bed AND me stink. Now go!"  
  
Reno pouted, "No fair, why do I have to take a shower and why don't you have to?"  
  
"Because, I took a shower last night since I wasn't as lazy as you and also, life's never fair. It's as easy as that, Mr.Turk." The red headed Turk simply jumped out of bed with a mock angry face and slammed the washroom door shut. Akira chuckled to herself quietly and went back to bed to sleep a little while more.  
  
"WAKE UP YOU LAZY ASS!"  
  
"...Oh mom...give me one more minute...Pleeeeease? I'll just skip breakfast." The young ancient grumbled.  
  
"Kira, wake up you lazy bum. I'm not your mother. I told you last night I didn't want to be your father, but really! Now you expect me to be your mother, I don't think so, honey. Get up! You made me take a shower, now I'm going to make you wake up." Reno grabbed her shoulders and shook her.  
  
"Okay, okay! I'm up! Stop it, Reno!" Akira was certainly not in a good mood, having to sleep with a dirty Turk the whole night and then being woken up in the middle of her sleep. Reno smirked triumphantly. "Happy?" Akira got up and looked in the mirror. She was a mess.  
  
"Pretty happy, but brush your hair, cause it's certainly a mess." Reno hugged Akira behind, "Hell, you smell nice." Akira's face flushed at the compliment and was about to turn around when the red headed stopped her, "Kira...Don't move...let me stay like this for a while." Akira nodded and closed her eyes, her eyes popped open at the sound of someone knocking the door. "Damn that Strife..." Reno hissed.  
  
Akira walked right up the door with Reno hugging her from behind, but he let go once they were at the door. She opened the door. "Morning Cloud!" She said cheerfully.  
  
Reno glared and in exchange, received a nod and a "Good morning" from Cloud. "We're meeting for breakfast in the lobby in one hour. See you two there." With that, the swordsman walked away to Rude and Elena's room.  
  
"So I'm thinking we're going to have breakfast, then leave right after. So we might as well pack up." Reno finally took his eyes off the door and looked at his angel.  
  
Akira nodded, "Mind packing my stuff up for a little while? I need to brush and tie my hair. As you said, my hair IS a mess!" She took her brush from her little suitcase and started brushing her hair.  
  
"Hmm...you're ripped up dress. I'm going to throw that away, all right?" He received a nod from her, and looked through her bag and his heart instantly stopped at the sight of a bracelet. One of the hand made ones, made of eight different colours. Purple, green, blue, yellow, light green, light blue, pink and light purple. If Akira had been looking at him at this very second, she would've seen the pained expression on Reno's face. "Kira...Where exactly did you get...this?" He held it up for her to see.  
  
"I don't know...When I left the lab, Hojo's assistant said it was very important to me. So I kept it. But I don't remember." She was now tying her hair with a light blue ribbon to match her dress.  
  
"I see..." His face was now masked well again and he quickly changed the subject, "You look really nice in baby blue."  
  
"Thanks. Anyways, let's get going or else they're going to start whining again." She dragged Reno out of the room and locked it, and headed out towards the elevator. When they reached the lobby, they were the last to arrive.  
  
"Anyhow, where we gonna go for breakfast?" Barret asked.  
  
"..."  
  
Elena sighed, "Rude, that doesn't help. How about that place we had lunch yesterday?" She looked around, everyone nodded, and that was decided.  
  
"We're having breakfast, then coming back here to get our stuff, then going to Ancient's City to get the white materia, and last but not least, going back to Cosmo Canyon." Cloud explained.  
  
Reno cleared his throat, "Do you mind if I stay here when you take the white materia? I have something to do here, you don't have to pick me up afterwards, I'll go back to Cosmo Canyon myself. I have the helicopter."  
  
"Since when did you have a fucking helicopter, Turk?" Cid asked, quite rudely.  
  
"For your information, Highwind, Akira and I ran to Gongaga yesterday to get the helicopter, or else we couldn't have caught up with you people." Reno answered, just as rude.  
  
"Break it up, break it up. Reno can stay, and I guess others that wants to come with you can stay too. You can decide, but first, let's get some breakfast, I'm famished."  
  
"Playing the peacemaker now, eh Strife?" Reno glared at him and Cloud glared back.  
  
Vincent walked right between them, "If you two are not hungry, there are others that are hungry. Cloud, lead the way." Cloud walked first, with the others following, with Vincent in the rear.  
  
"Reno? Can I come with you?" Akira said.  
  
He stared at her for a moment before he understood what she was saying, "Of course...But you must keep quiet. I'll tell you what it's about when we get there. It's not too far from here, show you after breakfast."  
  
"Reno..." she said quietly, "You're acting...strange today. Very strange."  
  
He shook his head, "I'm fine." He said softly, "we're here."  
  
*****  
  
Akira and Elena were having 'girl-talks' quietly and the others talking to each other. Reno remained quiet, which was very unusual. Akira gave him a 'you better tell me what's going on' look before she continued having a conversation with Elena.  
  
Elena was happy, she's never had a friend that was a girl before, well, before she joined the Turks anyways. Scarlet didn't count, she was not the nicest person you could have a conversation with. Extremely nosy. Whenever someone saw her wearing the Turks' uniform, they had all stayed far away from her. The Turks were the most feared in the slums.  
  
Barret was stuffing his mouth with food which was pretty usual, sometimes glaring at the Turks for whatever reason. The Turks were working with them right now anyhow, why did he always have to be so hostile?  
  
As for Cloud, he was staring out the window, thinking about Aeris again. He had loved her, always had, always will and he still does. He wondered what he would be saying to her when he would see her, which would be within a few days, since they're getting the white materia today.  
  
Vincent and Rude was just quiet, saying nothing, eating their breakfast quietly.  
  
Cid was reading the Junon's daily newspaper. Nothing new, sometimes reading the comic strips on the last few pages of the whole package.  
  
Reno, he was quiet all day, thinking about the bracelet he had discovered earlier in Akira's bag while he was packing for her. The bracelet he had made long time ago. So long ago, even before he joined the Turks. He couldn't think, he didn't know what was happening. How on earth did Akira get the bracelet? Unless...she was...her... He was terribly confused and he had no idea what to do.  
  
Yes, it had to be her. No wonder she had looked so familiar when he first saw her. No wonder he had felt so close to her. No wonder he had wanted to call her Kira instead of Akira. It all made sense now. The girl he had given the bracelet to years ago was named Akira. But, didn't Shinra tell them, no, him. Didn't Shinra tell him that she had died years ago? Exactly four years ago, Shinra had told them she had died. In the exact words "The second Ancient, Akira Collins is dead." Yes, that was exactly what president Shinra had told him. He had said that coldly, he did not care. It pained Reno a lot.  
  
Tseng even sent him home early because he had known how close Reno's relationship with Akira was. Akira Collins. He had went home early from work that day crying in his house all day. He had promised himself not to cry ever again, and he hasn't broken that promise...for four years. He had promised himself never to love again because it was too painful, but look what he was doing now, falling in love, no, already in love with Akira. Again. Yes, Akira Collins, the girl he thought was dead, but instead, she was sitting right next to him, joking with Elena, his comrade.  
  
He remembered, the next day when he went to work, he has gotten unusually colder, his eyes. Even Tseng had noticed, and he came to ask what was wrong. He had replied with a simple nothing, and that was that.  
  
Several weeks went by and Reno had gotten more normal, joking around at work, getting plastered at the bar after his missions. Years went by, just like that. He thought he had forgotten about the incident...but just when he thought he had forgotten, look how wrong he was. Come to think of it, Akira has not changed much in appearance, her face matured and she had more curves, but that was it. And she had not remember anything at all. Created in a tube? Hell no, more like a speciment of Hojo's. Memory loss was more like it. Reno sighed and looked out of the window. He wondered how exactly he was going to tell her all this. About her past, and her parents and how they died.  
  
If he was going to keep thinking like that, he was sure to have a headache, or let's just say he already is starting to have one. Once again, he looked out the window, lost in thoughts...  
  
Author's Notes: Hehehe, this chapter's kinda short. Anyways, I hope you enjoy it and please review. Next chapter, we'll be seeing what Reno and Kira are doing in Junon. And about Reno's past, which I'm doing a timeline right now has to do with this. Give me a few days to finish chapter seven. I'm darn lazy. I really hope you enjoyed it. Anyhow, yeah, cya guys later! =)  
  
-Crystal Bubble 


	7. The Visit and The Truth

Reunited Friendship Chapter Seven  
  
The Visit and the Truth  
  
By Crystal Bubble  
  
Reno and Akira were now walking in the streets of Junon. After eating their breakfast, they had all gone back to the inn to take their stuff to the Highwind, with the exception of Reno and Akira. They packed their stuff in the helicopter. The other AVALANCHE members, including Rude and Elena went to the Ancient's City after having a conversation with Reno. Rude knew exactly what Reno was going to do, but on the other hand, Elena had no idea. So they went separate ways, one group retrieving the white materia, and the other group paying a visit to someone.  
  
Akira frowned a bit, "Err...Reno? Where are we going?" she, like Elena, had no idea where Reno was going either.  
  
"You'll find out soon enough." He stopped in front of a building, more like an apartment, pressed a code and opened the door, "Ladies first."  
  
She walked in a pressed the elevator button and it arrived with a little 'ding' and they got in. She realized they were going on the sixth floor once Reno pressed the '6' button.  
  
Once they walked out the elevator, the red head took out a key and opened the door to one of the apartments on the floor. "Jessie?" he said quietly, "Damn girl, still sleeping."  
  
"Jessie? Who's that?" Akira asked curiously.  
  
Reno ignored her question and went into a bedroom with her following him and was surprised to see a girl, not much older than her. He shook her gently, "Jessie, wake up you lazy pig."  
  
Jessie said something quietly and pulled the covers over her head, "Go away..."  
  
"Jessie, wake up." He tried again.  
  
The reddish-brown headed girl suddenly opened her eyes and sat up. "Reno…? Reno!" She hugged him tightly.  
  
"Hello Jessie." He greeted, "I'm suffocating, let go..."  
  
Jessie flushed red and smiled sheepishly, "Welcome back, Reno! And who might this be?" she caught sight of Akira.  
  
"Hi, my name's Akira..."  
  
"Jessie here." She grinned and nudged Reno, "Well, well, what have we got here." Satisfied with Reno turning a few shades redder, she added, "His sister. Anyways, you two go sit on the couch while I brush my teeth, be back in a few minutes." She stuck out her tongue.  
  
Reno stuck out his tongue back at her, "I know Jessie, this IS my house." He lead Akira out the bedroom and into the living room.  
  
The ancient walked over to the top of the fireplace and started looking at the pictures. "So Reno, what's wrong with you today? You've been weird ever since...let me think...Ever since you packed my bag...I think."  
  
"Really? I don't think so...I'm fine."  
  
Akira turned around, "You don't sound like it."  
  
"I just need some time to think." Before she could say anything more, he took a magazine out and started reading, clearly trying to stay away from the topic.  
  
She, for now, was satisfied with the answer and started looking at the pictures again. Once in a while making sounds like 'aww...' and 'ohh...' until Jessie came out.  
  
"Not very talkative, are we now?" Jessie said, looking at both of them. Akira shrugged and Reno looked up from his magazine and narrowed his eyes. Jessie immediately understood and knew what to say and what not.  
  
Akira also saw the look Reno gave his sister and knew something was definitely wrong. She was sure of it, but she thought better, even if she did ask what was wrong, they would never tell her, so there was no point at all. "Sooo…are we going to sit her all day long like this or are we going to do something?" She asked.  
  
"Want to go shopping? I haven't gone shopping for a while, since Reno here is always busy and he has no time for his little sister." She looked excited.  
  
Reno groaned, "Shopping? With girls? Oh god..."  
  
Akira smirked, "Well...Since you DID tell me I looked good in blue, we might as well go. I mean, I can't possibly fight in these clothes."  
  
"AVALANCHE?" Jessie asked.  
  
"Hmm...? Yup!" Akira replied.  
  
"Oh...How's Tifa, Barret and Cloud doing?"  
  
"I think they're doing great! You...know them?" She raised her eyebrow.  
  
Jessie sighed, "I used to be in AVALANCHE. Anyways," she changed the subject quickly, "Let's go!"  
  
Reno groaned but put the magazine on the table and headed out the door, "So Kira, what are you going to wear? Shorts like Yuffie?"  
  
She pushed him back playfully, "Maybe…Or I might not buy anything at all."  
  
*****  
  
As they entered the city, Elena gasped. The buildings were glowing, it was totally different than what she had expected. She had probably expected normal buildings that were worn out, since it was called the Forgotten City.  
  
Cloud was in the lead looking everywhere, it had not been more than a few weeks that he had visited here. He did not find the place too different from last time. He took the middle road, leading to where Aeris died. Aeris' grave. Once he saw the lake, Cloud froze in his tracks and his heart stopped. "Aeris..." he said softly, "I'll see you soon..."  
  
Cid bumped into Cloud, "Damn it, keep moving, Spike!"  
  
Cloud frowned in annoyance, "Just watch where you're going and you won't bump into me!" And resumed walking silently until they reached Mr. Big fish, or where the big fish should've been.  
  
Vincent raised his eyebrow in suspicion, "and the fish is where...?"  
  
"...I don't know...It was here last time I came here...but..." Cloud thought for a moment. "I'm going in, if you guys don't want to come, stay. I won't force anyone in coming here." The whole group followed silently, with the exception of Elena's gasping when she saw something that looked pretty.   
  
At last, they arrived. The ex-SOLDIER looked up at the altar, which weeks ago, his beloved was murdered by the cold-blooded Sephiroth. He was clenching his fist, trying to control his rage. He had let the ex-general kill her. He couldn't do anything...because he was weak. He was much too weak to protect her from him. He was weak, much too weak, and he promised her to be her bodyguard. But he failed her. For the second time in his life, he failed someone. He had failed to protect Tifa when she had been slashed by Sephiroth. Luckily, she didn't die. He had failed to protect Aeris when Sephiroth had ran her through with his Masamune. He failed...he failed terribly...And he was ashamed of himself. He was still looking at the altar until…  
  
"Yo Spike? You aright?" Barret asked.  
  
"Yes, just thinking..." Cloud resumed thinking for a few seconds before someone else spoke up.  
  
"Snap out of it, Spike!" Cid yelled.  
  
"Oh yeah...the materia..."  
  
"No shit. Now who's gonna jump into the water and get it?" Cid asked. Before anyone said anything, Cloud lowered himself into the water and went towards a glowing materia in the clear water.  
  
"Got it…" Cloud said, not too happy with his pants being soaked wet, but happy because he had gotten the materia and all they had to do now was just go back to Cosmo Canyon and see where they were going to resurrect Aeris. He smiled to himself, "Back to the Highwind and then we're on our way to Cosmo!"  
  
*****  
  
Reno grinned, "So Kira, you're going to wear a this to fight?" He held up a blue miniskirt.  
  
Akira stuck her tongue out, "For when I'm NOT fighting."  
  
"Then what are you going to wear when you're fighting? Because I thought you were going to buy something easier to fight in. Are you going to fight naked? I sure as hell wouldn't mind that." Reno smirked again.  
  
The ancient's eyes went wide, "Reno...you, you!" She pouted.  
  
Jessie suddenly laughed, "God, you two crack me up. Haven't laughed like this in a long while."  
  
The Turk looked at his watch, "Jessie, we have to go for now, be back in probably a few days or so."  
  
Jessie nodded sadly, "Hey Akira, you gotta come visit me after all this. Come live at my house!" Reno cleared his throat, "Er…I mean Reno's house."  
  
"All right, I'll get Cid to drop me off here after this thing is over. Reno, let's walk Jessie home first, I mean, we're not in a rush, are we?" Akira asked.  
  
"No, we can walk. Remember Kira, do not tell anyone about Jessie, all right?" Reno drapped both his arms around Jessie and Akira. They had finally arrived after a few minutes then said their farewells. The two girls embraced each other tightly and kept talking until the elevator door closed.  
  
"Well, that was nice." Akira said happily. "I got myself some clothes and I got to know your sister. And I have plans after resurrecting Aeris!"  
  
Reno grinned, his past forgotten for a few hours, "I might come after the resurrection, or I might not though."  
  
Akira pouted, "I rather you come, but whether you come or not, I'm staying at your house with your sister!"  
  
"You're really in a good mood aren't you now? If we have three people living in the house, we don't have enough bedrooms, unless you want to share one with me?" Reno smirked his trademark smirk.  
  
"Naw..." the girl said, "You can always sleep on the couch while I take over your bed."  
  
Reno frowned, "What? No, I am sleeping in my own bed even if I have to kick you off the bed." By now, they had already arrived at the helicopter and he climbed on, then turned around to give Akira a hand.  
  
"Thanks." Reno nodded in reply and started the engine and off they went!  
  
*****  
  
By now, Cloud's group has already arrived at Cosmo Canyon and they were already in the observatory. Cloud had already given the white and clear materia to Nanaki.  
  
"We seem to be missing two people here." Reeve said, counting for the second time to make sure he didn't count wrong.  
  
"Yeah," replied Cloud, "Reno and Akira went somewhere while we went to get the white materia. They stayed in Junon, should be here within an hour."  
  
Elena spoke up, "I'll call Reno right now." And with that, walked out the door.  
  
"Anyways, I guess everyone's to do what they wish to do until the two show up, since Akira has to play a major part in this...resurrection." Red said.  
  
Just then, Elena walked in, "they'll be arriving in about half an hour." Red nodded.  
  
"We'll meet here in half an hour."  
  
*****  
  
"Welcome back Akira, Reno." Red greeted.  
  
"Hi everyone." Akira greeted back.  
  
"Anyhow, with the help of Yuffie," Red looked over at where Yuffie was sitting, looking very proud of herself, "We found out where and what we have to do to resurrect our friend, Aeris." He took a pause, "Where? We go where Aeris' murderer died, which is the Northern Crater. Who and how? The only person that is able to do that is another Cetra, Akira here. But we have a problem. When Akira is holding to the white and clear materia, white in left, clear in right, she has to say something in the Cetra's language, which she can do." Another pause.  
  
"She, at first, says Aeris' full name, which is Aeris Gainsborough, then says what she has to say in her own language. But at the end, she has to say her full name. The name she was given at birth...Which we have a slight problem with. She was created in a tube, and even though she wasn't, we still don't know her last name...because she probably really was never given a real name, or she has forgotten. So..." Red looked around.   
  
Cloud looked completely sad. "I mean...Can't we...Just make a name for her?"  
  
Red shook his head, "She's only given three chances, we need to get it right within the three times, if we don't, we can't ever resurrect her." Everyone went quiet.  
  
Reno was deep in thought, he was the only one that knows her name, her past...Should he tell everyone...or not?  
  
Akira saw his discomfort and put her hand on his shoulder, "You all right?"   
  
Reno nodded. "I'm only doing what's going to be right...But damn, now I'm going to have to explain it all to her...and I'm going to have one hell of a lot of stuff to explain to her." He thought to himself. He took a deep breath and sighed, "Collins." Everyone looked at him, surprised, "Collins," he said again, "Akira Collins, that's her name."  
  
Author's Notes: Heh, took longer than I expected, less than one day. I think chapter eight's going to come out in a few days, this time, I'm positive, since I have to go work tomorrow and stuff. Unless I work my ass off tomorrow right after I get home from work. And I might just do that. Anyways, hope you enjoyed it and review please! Any ideas are welcomed! 


	8. Please Read

Author's Notes:  
Could anyone PLEASE tell me how to get this stupid darn thing to show Italic or Bold. I've been trying everything I know and it's driving me nuts!  
I'm serious...thanks...just leave a message on the review...I appreciate it a lot.  
  
By the way, haven't really gotten time to update the story...But I will...soon...I hope... =p  
Thanks. Later 


	9. Sorry, Author's Notes

Author's Notes: Hey everyone, I'm really sorry I didn't update this fic for...a while. Anyhow, I reread my whole fic today and I've decided to start the fic again, but I'll be rewriting the whole fic because right now, I think my way of writing has changed, so it wouldn't be as good. As soon as I have time, I'll be updating the first chapter all over again. As most of you know by looking at my profile, I have currently about six fics going, so it'll be a while until I get all eight chapters done.  
  
I appreciate all those that have reviewed for me. Thanks. I'll be deleting this whole story and making a new one, so don't bother reviewing this one and start reviewing the other one once I get it posted. Thank you everyone.  
  
-Crystal 


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